Later last year, Portuguese carrier Hi Fly decided to stop the lease of one of their A380 aircraft. This was very saddening news for many plane spotters worldwide as many who wanted to did not manage to capture images of the special "save the coral reefs" livery on their A380. Also, the aircraft was very special due to the fact that it was the only second-hand A380 ever purchased, previously belonging to Singapore Airlines. The aircraft was then sent to Tarbes, France for storage while drawing a heart shape across the sky.
This Airbus A380 is also a very big record-breaker. Firstly, it operated the longest non-stop domestic flight in the world. Secondly, it was the first plane that landed in Wuhan, China after the COVID-19 pandemic. Last but not the least, it was the first Airbus A380 that was converted into a freighter.
Sadly, a few days ago it was confirmed that the aircraft had been scrapped. The aircraft in question, with registration 9H-MIP, is an Airbus A380-800 registered in Malta. The age of the aircraft is 14.5 years old, and it was the 6th Airbus A380 that Airbus produced. It entered Hi Fly's fleet in July 2018 and retired in November 2020 due to the complications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, will more A380s be retired like this Hi Fly A380? Most likely. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for 4-engined jets like the A380 has decreased. However, do not fret. Carriers like Emirates have confirmed that they will be using their A380s for a long time to come.
Here is an excerpt from a press release by Hi Fly last year:
Today we said farewell to our A380 9H-MIP and in a very special way. We drew a heart in the sky as a final tribute to the Mirpuri Foundation and the “Save the Coral Reefs” Campaign, raising awareness of the need to protect our oceans.
After almost three years flying worldwide with a sustainability message, the inspiring Hi Fly Airbus A380 took off for the last time but not without amazing us once again with its love for the planet.
- This is not a direct quote from Hi Fly.
Image by: Jean Lug Blandin
Written by: Sohail Sawlani
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