First Emirates Airbus A380 flies into retirement

Emirates Airline has sent its first Airbus A380 into retirement as today, 27 October, the aircraft departed Dubai, U.A.E destination Tarbes-Lourdes, France.

The retirement of the A380 (registered A6-EDB) was already planned before the coronavirus pandemic grounded most of Emirates’ A380-fleet and was based on upcoming maintenance schedules, writes Flightradar24.

The first signs of A6-EDB being retired from the fleet came on 12 June as the aircraft was seen parked all white at Dubai Airport (see image below).

This aircraft made its last scheduled flight from Muscat, Oman to Dubai (DXB) on 23 February, before it flew to Dubai World Center on 28 February and back to Dubai on 25 March. It has been there ever since.

A6-EDB was delivered to Emirates in October 2008. This makes it among the first of the A380s to enter service with the airline.