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Air France discusses retirement of Airbus A380 due to profitability issues

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Air France discusses retirement of Airbus A380 due to profitability issues
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Air France | Wikipedia

During the Paris Air Forum on June 13, 2025, Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith addressed the airline's decision to retire its Airbus A380 fleet. According to a report by FlightGlobal, Smith stated that the aircraft did not generate profits outside of summer peaks. The A380s were retired in June 2020 after 11 years of operation.

The Airbus A380 was known for its positive passenger experience, but it required significant investments in engine overhauls and cabin upgrades, estimated at €50 to €60 million per aircraft. Despite this, Air France was one of the first legacy carriers to order the A380 after its announcement by Airbus, placing an order for ten double-deckers at the 2001 Paris Air Show. The aircraft began service with Air France in 2009.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Air France became the first airline to retire its A380 fleet due to high operating costs and limited profitability. Although other airlines phased out their A380 fleets as well, many reintroduced them as air travel demand increased post-pandemic.

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When questioned about any regrets regarding retiring the A380s, Smith indicated that such high-capacity aircraft are not essential for Air France. He highlighted the success of their Airbus A350 fleet. Currently, Air France operates 37 A350s with an average age of 2.8 years and is awaiting four more deliveries.

Between 2009 and 2020, Air France flew its Airbus A380s to various global destinations from its primary hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The superjumbo served routes including New York (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), Johannesburg (JNB), and Shanghai (PVG). The route between Paris and New York saw the highest number of flights with one-fifth of all services operated on this route.

According to Simple Flying's analysis, New York JFK was the most popular destination with 4,062 departing flights followed by Johannesburg with 3,052 departures. Los Angeles came third with 2,824 departures while Washington D.C., and Shanghai Pudong ranked fourth and fifth respectively.

Organizations Included in this History
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