This was published 2 years ago
Qantas brings back first class on revamped Airbus A380 superjumbos
By Katherine Scott
Qantas's revamped first class on board an Airbus A380 superjumbo.
Qantas will reintroduce its full first class offering at the end of the month, as international travel gradually ramps up and more of the carrier's A380 superjumbos are put back to work.
A fourth A380 has been reawakened from its slumber in a Californian desert storage yard, having been parked there since March 2020.
The airline has utilised the hiatus from flying to carry out some significant upgrades, increasing the number of premium seats on board and refurbishing cabins and its first class lounge.
Qantas has 14 first class seats on board its A380s.
The upgraded A380s have been reconfigured to offer more premium seats, with business suites increased to 70 (up from 64), premium economy increased to 60 (up from 35), and economy decreased to 341 (down from 371). The number of first class seats on board remains unchanged at 14.
The A380 currently operates services from Sydney to Los Angeles, and from June will fly from Sydney to London via Singapore.
Both first and economy cabins have been refurbished, along with the upper deck lounge (accessible to first, business and premium economy passengers) upgraded to offer booth-style seating for up to 10 passengers and a self-service bar.
The on board bar and lounge.
Passengers in first, business and premium economy get larger, full HD screens with improved resolution, and a refreshed cushioning and colour scheme.
Premium economy seats are now 10 per cent wider, with cabins featuring a new self-service snack bar.
Qantas will reopen its Sydney and Melbourne international business class lounges on March 27, reverting its Australian first class lounges to a full premium offering again after a period of operating as a hybrid first/business lounge during the pandemic.
The on board bar and lounge.
The relaunch will see the return of the Neil Perry curated à la carte dining menu in first class lounges, along with champagne, fine Australian wines and seasonal cocktails.
Eligible first lounge guests will also be able to enjoy bespoke treatments at the reopened spa, with hot stone massages and facials that use premium LaGaia products among the offerings.
The return of the carrier's premium products reflects increasing demand for travel, according to Qantas chief customer officer Stephanie Tully.
"We know that our customers have missed the Qantas A380 travel experience as much as our team has missed being able to provide it for them so it's fantastic that we're back in the air with our premium full service on these newly refurbished aircraft," she said.
Qantas' investment in its first class offering bucks a growing trend of airlines scrapping their top-tier class altogether.
Only a small number of airlines offer a first-class service now, as business-class seats become increasingly more luxurious and private (Qatar's business class QSuite, for example, offers the privacy of a first-class suite).
Airlines including Delta and United have done away with first class altogether in recent years, with Qantas, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa and Air India all reducing the number of seats offered in first class.
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