Etihad to bring life back into its last two A380s

Etihad Airways has stated it will bring its last two Airbus A380s back into service over the next year, taking advantage of the premium travel boom with its luxuriously outfitted superjumbos. Like many A380's around the world, the original Etihad fleet of ten double-decker jets was retired in 2020 during the global pandemic, with one being dismantled in July 2025. That aircraft was A6-APA (MSN 166).

A6-APA was the first Airbus A380 to be delivered to Etihad Airways, but the 150th A380 to be delivered overall.

ETIHAD AIRBUS A380-861 A6-APC (MSN 176)

Seven superjumbos are now back in service, flying daily from Abu Dhabi to London, Paris, Toronto, and Singapore.

The eighth aircraft, believed to be A6-APC (MSN 176) has just arrived back in Abu Dhabi after long-term storage in Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrenees Airport, France, (LDE/LFBT) and following a heavy maintenance check at Etihad Engineering, it will be scheduled for daily flights to Tokyo Narita starting June 2026, just in time for the busy northern summer travel season.

That leaves just one more A380 waiting in the wings, A6-APB (MSN 170). It is believed this ninth and final jet, which is also parked at Tarbes, will return later this year, for daily flights to another Asian destination – tipped to be Seoul – from January 2027.

Etihad Airways now plans for its revitalized fleet of nine A380s to keep flying well into the next decade, with CEO Antonoaldo Neves saying last year he aims to keep them in service “at least until 2032.” This is great news for premium leisure and corporate travelers who appreciate the A380 Studio business class, as each superjumbo offers 70 business seats to meet the ongoing high demand.