Air France will run one final Airbus A380 flight next week over Metropolitan France, offering a select few a final opportunity to fly the superjumbo before it is permanently retired from the fleet.
The final Air France A380 flight will take place on June 26, 2020. Before you get excited, it does not appear Air France will sell passenger tickets. Aeronews Global reports that the flight will be for employees, with Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith and Air France CEO Anne Rigail scheduled to attend.
On June 26, @airfrance will perform a special farewell @Airbus A380 flight over France, with employees onboard, to mark the retirement of its 9 superjumbos. Ben Smith (AF-KLM CEO) & Anne Rigail (AF CEO) should also attend. More details soon. @AirbusPRESS @AFnewsroom @a380fanclub pic.twitter.com/Boj9S2H7k6
— Aeronews (@AeronewsGlobal) June 19, 2020
Air France accelerated the retirement of its A380 fleet due to COVID-19. With demand expected to take years to fully recover, opportunities to consistently fill 516 seats simply did not exist.
Read More on the Air France A380:
- Why The Air France A380 Retirement Pains Me…
- Even A Fancy Onboard Shower Or Bar Would Not Have Saved Air France A380
- My Strong Desire To Fly The Air France A380…
- Air France A380 Decision Is Sad, But Smart
- Six Reasons Air France Is Retiring A380
On A Personal Note…
I must admit, I’m deeply saddened I likely won’t be part of this farewell flight, as the Air France A380 is one of the only A380 products I have not flown. Air France has not even indicated if any media will be invited on. This would be one media invitation I would accept…but likely cannot due to my passport. Although I am able to live in Germany legally and do spend considerable time there each year, with only an American passport I must travel with my wife, a German national, during the pandemic. And just because I enter Germany does not necessarily mean I will be able to enter France. There are too many moving parts and I’m not about to drag my wife to Germany with me with our newborn daughter and three-year-old son so daddy can fly on an A380.
But I look forward to vicariously reading about this final flight through others…
CONCLUSION
Air France plans to operate one more A380 flight next week. If any passenger tickets are sold, I will let you know. And let the sudden retirement of the Air France A380 fleet be a warning not to defer flying planes that interest you…because you never know when it will suddenly be too late.
I know it was an inferior onboard product, but what is your favorite memory of the Air France A380?
(H/T: Han)
Can AF First survive with 4 seats on only some of their 777-3 fleet ? Cutting the A380 must reduce the First seats by 50% to justify the dedicated lounge at CDG and cars, staff etc.
Good question.
Surely we can’t expect things in the aviation industry to go back to ‘normal’ anytime soon, if ever. I wouldn’t place my bets on the F ground experience to remain as it is. Perhaps integrated into business class? Or a small room off the main lounges SQ-style, + personal escort/car to plane? After all, there are rumours of a-la-carte service becoming more of a standard for J lounges (for hygiene concerns at a buffet table).
If you are a German citizen why can’t you apply for a passport?
He’s probably not a citizen yet (residency criteria!– usually inadequate length of time spent in the country, as many European states require >5 years ‘permanent’ residence (>183 days/year, and less than X days of absence from the country/Schengen, given that border controls ~don’t~ didn’t exist). But can get one of those special visas for indefinite stay/PR visas?
My favorite memory of the Air France A380 was deplaning. Horrible business class product.
@Stuart
LOL. I totally agree. I flew this back in 2016 IAD-CDG in business. It was totally unremarkable. Got a few hours of sleep but seat was really tight. Got to be honest I won’t miss this plane one bit.
If AF is in desperate need to save money (as are all airlines right now), why have this flight in the first place?
It pains me to say this, but I found AF’s 380 wholly unremarkable, at least at the pointy end. It was past its sell-by date, even in 2018.
But at least you got to fly in it! 😉
They never put in a competitive J product – amazing that Air France will have flown the A380 the entire time without a single flat-bed business class seat. Of all the planes – the flagship plane assembled in France, you would’ve thought they would’ve given the A380 a better product.
Matthew do you know why they’re still selling A380 flights, and allowing seat selection? Chances are the longer they do this before announcing a replacement aircraft, the more passengers to be bumped.
I don’t. Very annoying though I’d imagine they are capping loads.
Air France is my favorite airline. I fly them more than any other carrier. But I agree that Business Class on the A380 was a disappointment. The seats were awful. There were not enough lavatories. And boarding was total chaos.
I will miss *seeing* the A380 in Air France’s beautiful livery. But I’m a loyal A350 flier now.