en.Wedoany.com Reported - British Airways, one of ten airlines operating scheduled passenger flights with the Airbus A380, is currently retrofitting the cabins of all 12 of its A380 aircraft, planning to reduce the seat count from the current 469 to 421. The 12 superjumbos operated by this oneworld alliance member have an average age of 12.2 years, with the first aircraft, G-XLEA, delivered in July 2013, and the last, G-XLEL, delivered in June 2016.
According to the retrofit plan, British Airways will remove 88 economy class seats and add 13 business class suites and 29 premium economy seats. The modifications are expected to be completed by the end of next year.
British Airways' first A380 operated its inaugural commercial passenger flight in August 2013, on the route from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA), an extremely short distance primarily used for crew training and aircraft familiarization. According to Cirium Diio's schedule analysis, from August 2013 to June 2026, British Airways has ceased using the A380 on seven destinations departing from LHR. A380 service to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport resumed in May 2026, having last been used in March 2025; service on this aircraft type to Singapore Changi Airport last operated in May 2025 and will resume in September 2026. Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) was the most frequently served route for British Airways' A380, with a total of 2,329 outbound flights, but due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and route adjustments, British Airways now operates this route using the Airbus A350-1000.
During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar at the end of 2022, British Airways temporarily deployed its 469-seat A380 on the route to Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH). This operation was conducted in collaboration with close partner Qatar Airways, utilizing Qatar Airways' slots at LHR. British Airways used the A380 on this route from November 18, 2022, to January 8, 2027, replacing the regular Boeing 777-200ER. After deploying the A380, weekly seat capacity on the LHR to DOH route increased by 12% compared to the first week of the winter season. The departure time was also adjusted from 12:30 PM to 9:20 PM.
Currently, all of British Airways' routes to the Middle East remain suspended due to the ongoing situation in Iran. The DOH route is scheduled to resume operations on August 1, initially using a daily Boeing 777-200ER. If conditions are favorable, flight frequency will return to two daily flights on October 25, with the second flight operated by a Boeing 787-10, at which point the northern carrier will switch to the winter schedule according to the IATA season.
