Etihad Airways’ last Airbus A380 remaining in pandemic-era storage has left southern France for Abu Dhabi, bringing the airline closer to restoring all nine of its surviving superjumbos to passenger service.
The aircraft, registered A6-APB, departed Tarbes-Lourdes-Pyrénées Airport on September 17, 2026. Its departure closes a lengthy storage chapter, but further maintenance is required before it carries passengers again.
From Tarbes storage to Abu Dhabi
A6-APB was delivered to Etihad in 2015 and withdrawn from service in 2020, when the airline grounded its entire A380 fleet as international travel collapsed. It arrived in Tarbes in December that year.
The aircraft left shortly after 09:30 local time on September 17, bound for Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport. AeroTime reported that TARMAC Aerosave had spent eight months preparing it for the flight.
Long-term aircraft storage involves ongoing preservation work. TARMAC Aerosave says it protects stored aircraft and engines in accordance with manufacturers’ guidelines. Preparing an aircraft to fly out of storage, however, does not mean it is ready to resume scheduled passenger operations.
A6-APB is due to undergo further heavy maintenance in Abu Dhabi. Previously reported plans placed its commercial return around January 2027; that remains a planned timeframe rather than a newly confirmed first passenger flight.
Etihad moves towards nine operational A380s
Etihad originally received ten A380s between 2014 and 2017. After grounding them in 2020, the airline brought the type back into passenger service in 2023, initially on its Abu Dhabi–London Heathrow route.
Nine aircraft remain following the dismantling of A6-APA in 2025. A6-APB’s eventual return would complete the restoration of that surviving fleet.
Its sister aircraft, A6-APC, followed a similar sequence earlier this year: a ferry flight back to Abu Dhabi in January, followed by a return to passenger service in June.
Bangkok joins the A380 network in October
The recovery comes as Etihad prepares to introduce the A380 on its Bangkok route from October 25, 2026. The airline has announced a daily evening departure from Abu Dhabi using the double-decker during the winter travel season.
Etihad’s A380 offers nine First Apartments, 70 Business seats and 405 Economy seats, alongside The Residence, its private three-room suite for up to two guests.
Bangkok’s launch precedes A6-APB’s anticipated return. No specific passenger route has been announced for the aircraft, whose next step is completing its maintenance programme in Abu Dhabi.
