Air France (AF, Paris CDG) will return five of its ten A380-800s to their lessor, DP Aircraft, once their contracts expire start to expire late next year.
According to France's Les Echos newspaper, the first two jets are set to leave in late 2019. As such, the carrier will retain only the five A380s that it owns.
Despite the A380's higher unit operating costs versus the workhorse of Air France's longhaul fleet, the B777-300(ER), management will retain the five quadjets given the very weak second-hand A380 market. It is recalled that out of the five A380s Singapore Airlines retired this year, only one - msn 6 - has found placement with a new operator (Hi Fly Malta) with the remaining four all stored at Lourdes/Tarbes.
As it stands, Air France will invest a whopping EUR225 million to upgrade the remaining A380s' cabins. Fitments will commence from late 2020 onwards, the report added.
According to the ch-aviation fleets module, Air France has configured its A380s with 516 seats...
