Enough of the Emirates A380-800, now it's time for a Qantas one. VH-OQE (an A380-842 variant, named Lawrence Hargrave) is on approach after having done the QF2 run from Dubai, which originated at London's Heathrow. It's been a long, hard day.

QF1 and QF2 no longer run through Dubai; since March 25 2018 they have gone via Singapore instead. (As I found out to my cost in late 2019 wen it was my misfortune to be on this aircraft's pile-of-crud sister ship VH-OQD, the Fergus McMaster. I will long bear a grudge against that plane, the company that operates it, the scam of a Frequent Flyer scheme that the company operates which makes you pay a higher price in return for NOTHING, and of course the actions of the Chief Executive who seems to me to relish stamping on the metaphorical throats of his workforce (because they might be {gasp!} UNIONISTS!!) resulting in a demoralised workforce who apparently no longer have the skills to keep the gorram smoke detectors working properly on an aircraft!

But I digress. Unfortunately while OQD is back out in the wild presumably still wreaking havoc on peoples' travel itineraries and giving them the experience of sleeping on the floor of Singapore airport, the couple-of-months-younger VH-OQE was pulled from service on 22 March 2020. (VQD is manufacturer serial number 26 and was delivered in August 2009, VQE was serial number 27, delivered in December of 2009.) Yes, like so many aircraft in this gallery, it was hit by the pandemic. Actually both were pulled from service in 2020, but VQD was inflicted on the travelling public again on 26 Feb 2022. As of 28 August 2022 VQE, this plane, is still in storage at Victorville Southern California Logistics.

According to PlaneSpotters.net, of the current A380 fleet of 11 (it was 12, but one has moved on), 5 are back in service and 6 are still parked.