After months of preparation and training flights, Lufthansa’s first Airbus A380 returned to active service on 1 June.
The aircraft registered D-AIMK, one of the newest in the fleet, took off from Munich to Boston, in the USA, on flight LH 424, marking the resumption of operations with the largest passenger aircraft in the world.
Also on Thursday, another A380, registration D-AIML, left the Bavarian capital for Manila, in the Philippines, but probably on a training flight.
The time has come. After a three-year break and many months of reactivation, the largest passenger aircraft is once again ready for service. In a few minutes, the first A380 D-AIMK with flight number LH424 takes off for its maiden flight from @MUC_Airport to Boston.?? pic.twitter.com/BO3QI0ooMK
— Lufthansa News (@lufthansaNews) June 1, 2023
Lufthansa suspended flights with the A380 right at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, just over three years ago. The executives of the German carrier then came to the conclusion that the aircraft would not be used again due to the high operating costs.
Of the 14 A380s received, six were sold back to Airbus while the remaining eight were stored, awaiting a destination.
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The strong return of demand for long-haul flights combined with the delay in certification of the Boeing 777-9 motivated Lufthansa to review its decision.
Last year, Carsten Spohr, the airline’s CEO, announced that four A380s would return to service. In addition to Boston, New York will also have the double-deck aircraft starting in July.
In October, two other destinations will join the list, Los Angeles and Bangkok, in this case the first time that the Lufthansa A380 is used on the route to the capital of Thailand.
So far, Lufthansa has not disclosed what will become of the four A380s still in storage.
