Qantas resumed Airbus A380 services between Australia and Los Angeles on Jan. 16. In November 2010, Qantas grounded its A380 fleet and suspended all A380 flights on its Los Angeles-Australia routes after a mid-air engine explosion took place onboard an Airbus A380 departing from Singapore.
The airline said that it has conducted extensive engineering analysis on the A380 and has been in consultation with Rolls-Royce to monitor the performance of the Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engine that operates the jumbo airliner. While Qantas has already resumed A380 services on its London routes in late November 2010, the airline said that it waited to resume A380 service to Los Angeles until it could be sure that the aircraft could handle the use of maximum engine thrust required for takeoff from Los Angeles International Airport.
Beginning May 16, Qantas will also offer direct services between Sydney and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport with four weekly flights onboard its Boeing 747 aircraft. The airline is discontinuing its direct San Francisco-Sydney services on May 14.
www.qantas.com
