Air France CEO Confirms No Regrets Over A380 Retirement, Cites Profitability Concerns

Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith stands by the airline’s 2020 decision to phase out the Airbus A380, citing high operating costs and limited profitability. Air France, once an early adopter of the superjumbo, introduced the A380 to its fleet in 2009, operating 10 aircraft before retiring them in May 2020.

While airlines such as British Airways, Qantas, and Korean Air temporarily parked their A380 fleets during the COVID-19 pandemic, many later reinstated them as demand rebounded. Air France, however, opted for a swift phase-out, with most of its A380s now set to be scrapped.

Speaking at the Paris Air Forum, Smith stated he has “no regrets” about retiring the A380, emphasizing that the aircraft was only profitable during peak summer periods. He revealed that refurbishing the interiors would have cost nearly $70 million per aircraft, making continued operation financially unviable.

Despite the A380’s passenger appeal, Smith highlighted the Airbus A350 as a more efficient alternative. He described the A350-900 as “extremely successful” for Air France, with the airline currently operating 37 A350-900s, with additional orders placed.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, simpleflying.com