Qantas is one of ten airlines to have scheduled flights on the Airbus A380. In the latest update, the Australian flag carrier revealed two notable changes to the type’s network. As routes change and equipment is swapped, it’s good to keep abreast of notable developments.

First, the double-decker will cease being used between Melbourne and Los Angeles, which is one of the world’s longest nonstop superjumbo services. Second, it will increase the flights between Sydney and Singapore to the highest level in around seven years.

The A380 Will Cease Flying From Melbourne To Los Angeles

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According to Cirium Diio data, the carrier has flown the 485-seat double-decker on this route since 2008. For many years, the type coexisted with other equipment on the very long route, although it is not among the world’s ten longest nonstop flights by time. Initially, it operated alongside the 747-400, and then the 787-9. At times, the superjumbo operated exclusively, with a daily flight.

Due to the pandemic, regular A380 service did not resume until November 2023. This time, the frequency was just two flights a week. The 236-seat Boeing 787-9 operated the remaining five weekly services. This setup remains to this day.

As identified by Aeroroutes, use of the A380 and the Dreamliner will end later this year. On October 25, when Qantas switches to next season’s schedules based on IATA slot seasons, only the 787-9 will operate. Melbourne will no longer have any scheduled flights on Qantas’ superjumbos.

The 787 last operated exclusively during the pandemic. The swap means that Qantas will no longer offer first class on the route. Meanwhile, it’ll have 16% fewer business seats, a quarter fewer premium economy seats, and 23% fewer economy seats. Flights by all the market’s nonstop carriers (Delta, Qantas, and United) will now be entirely in the hands of twinjets.

Qantas Will Have Up To Two Daily A380 Flights To Singapore

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Qantas has used the A380 to the city-state since 2009. As you know, nearly all flights have continued to London Heathrow, both from Sydney (a route that does, of course, continue today) and Melbourne (the type was used between 2010 and 2018).

Until the latest update, the plan was for Qantas to fly the type to Changi nine times a week: daily from Sydney to Heathrow via Singapore, and two weekly flights between Sydney and Singapore on a standalone, so-called terminator basis.

Things will change from early December, ahead of Christmas, when A380 flights will rise to 13 weekly. Sydney flights will operate daily to Heathrow, while there will be six weekly terminator flights (replacing the A330). And from mid-February, 2027, there will be two daily flights. Singapore last had two daily flights every day of the week before the pandemic in early 2020.

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Sydney-Singapore Will Now Have Four Daily A380 Flights

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The latest information for next February shows that the market will have four daily departures every day of the week on the A380: two by Qantas and two by Singapore Airlines. While that is not a record frequency, it has not previously been offered in February or March.

Flights will leave New South Wales at 11:30 am (Qantas), 12:15 pm (Singapore Airlines), 4:10 pm (Singapore Airlines), and 4:15 pm (Qantas). They’ll arrive in Sydney at 6:35 am (Qantas), 7:40 am (Singapore Airlines), 7:55 am (Qantas), and 11:50 am (Singapore Airlines). It’ll be the world’s joint-second most-served A380 route, tied with Dubai-Bangkok and Dubai-Singapore.