Rising like a phoenix from the ashes

But fast-forward three years to the end of 2023, and airlines’ downsized fleets could no longer accommodate the demand for capacity, as passenger numbers returned to the same levels seen in 2019. Big aircraft like the A380 give airlines that missing capacity, and many have been bringing it back into service and investing in retrofits – mostly of their luxury class interiors.

Emirates, the biggest A380s owner by far with 123 of the aircraft, in March 2025 confirmed that it will invest $5 billion in retrofitting its A380s as well as its entire fleet.

In January, its long-serving chief executive, Tim Clark, publicly called upon Airbus to resume production of the A380 – only this time using more aerodynamic materials to build them and equipping them with fuel-efficient UltraFan engines. Clark, who described the A380 as “compelling” and “probably the most profitable asset we've got”, revealed he has passed on specific plans to the OEM. He told Business Insider:

"I believe there is a case. The risk-averse nature of my peer group, CEOs, and boards is probably a major inhibitor to that. But if we were to put $20 billion on the table for Airbus, they'd probably build it for us."

Clark estimates that the requested measures could make a revamped A380 up to 25 percent more fuel-efficient.

Suddenly, the A380 wouldn’t just be an answer to capacity problems but a future solution for reducing airline operating costs and achieving greater profitability – as well as a shining light for how airlines can simultaneously fly large aircraft and cut their emissions per passenger rates.

Airbus did not comment on Clark’s comments, but a report in Hamburger Abendblatt in 2024, citing Christian Scherer, the head of Airbus' civil aircraft division, did suggest that production on the A380 could resume – but that the chances were very, very low:

"Nothing is ever ruled out in this industry: the door is closed, but it is not locked."

Now the passenger number gauge is level again, airlines can resume ‘up-gauging’

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A380s Part III: You heard retirements, we heard resurgence