Heathrow hosts first Airbus A380 flight from Frankfurt since 2021 due to power outage

British Airways last flew A380s between Heathrow and Frankfurt in 2021. In November and December, they operated several flights with the model, but such flights have been exceptions rather than the norm. The Heathrow outage forced several surgeries, including British Airways, Emirates, and Singapore Airlines, among others, to divert or cancel.

The Frankfurt to Heathrow route remains busy, with London and Frankfurt both being major financial hubs. Despite this, the demand usually doesn’t justify using the A380. The Qatar flight was a necessary deviation, not a sign of future regular A380 service.

Throughout the day, 19 A380 arrivals to Heathrow had to find alternative airports. Heathrow's situation on March 21 impacted 10% of the global A380 fleet, out of an estimated 189 in service.

The A380’s large size limits the airports it can serve. Approximately 140 airports can handle it routinely, with 400 capable when needed. In rare circumstances, such as emergencies or unusual events like the Heathrow closure, any airport with a suitable runway may host the A380.

Qatar’s fleet of A380s had been grounded during the pandemic and was only reactivated due to a lack of alternatives. Airbus previously announced the end of the A380's production due to limited demand, and various airlines, including Korean Air, have kept their fleets grounded awaiting replacements. Still, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and others continue to operate them on longer routes.