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Qantas will add two new Airbus A380s to its fleet early next year, bringing to nine its total of the world’s largest passenger aircraft type. Qantas has ordered 20 A380s in total, with the seventh having arrived earlier this month.
Following the near-catastrophic failure of a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine on an A380 over Indonesia in early November, Qantas has now has five of its seven A380s back in service. They are operating services between Sydney, Singapore and London but are not serving Los Angeles.
According to Global Travel Media, the airline is withholding its A380s from the long-haul, non-stop Australia/California leg until Rolls-Royce works out a way to use full-thrust out of Los Angeles Airport. Qantas needs to use maximum thrust to carry a full load of fuel for a long, 14-hour haul.
The Trent 900 engine problem has cost Qantas plenty and Roll-Royce may end up paying the airline much compensation. The Australian newspaper has suggested that the figure may be around $200 million.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
