Airbus A380-800

17 Mar 2026 · © Unknown

A Qantas Airbus A380-800 on final approach, showcasing its distinctive four-engine design and red kangaroo livery under a clear blue sky.

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Aircraft

A380-800 A388

Qantas standard livery

Airline

Qantas Airways

QFA / QF

Manufacturer

Airbus

Achievements

Rare Bird, Ultra-Long-Haul, Airbus Aficionado, Superjumbo Spotter

4 badges earned

Location

London Heathrow Airport

LHR/EGLL

51.4707, -0.4599

Open map

London Heathrow Airport LHR

Airport

Insights

Aviation History

The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger aircraft in the world. Qantas is one of few airlines to operate the type, and the A380 made ultra-long-haul travel possible for the airline.

Fleet Rarity

One of only ~250 A380s ever produced; fewer than 15 active A380s in the Qantas fleet as of 2024.

Record Flights

Qantas A380s have historically operated long-haul flights such as Sydney-London, as well as the longest regularly scheduled route at over 17 hours for some time (SYD-DFW direct).

Safety & Events

Notable Qantas A380 incident: QF32 suffered an uncontained engine failure over Singapore in 2010 (aircraft VH-OQA), but landed safely.

Future Outlook

Qantas is continuing to operate refurbished A380s on flagship routes while most airlines have retired or plan to retire the type. Survivability in the fleet is medium-term at best.

Specifications

Rolls-Royce Trent 900 or Engine Alliance GP7200 (Qantas uses Rolls-Royce Trent 900)

Engine

79.75 meters

Wingspan

72.73 meters

Length

15,200 kilometers

Range

903 km/h

Speed

484 passengers (typical 4-class config)

Capacity

575,000 kilograms

MTOW

24.09 meters

Height

311 kN (70,000 lbf) per Trent 900 engine

Thrust

QC2 ICAO Chapter 4 compliant (typically around 90 dB on approach)

Noise