Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 was spotted heading back to Singapore, two days after it left Alice Springs (ASP) aircraft storage for planned maintenance checks at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD).
On February 24, 2021, the Airbus A380, registered as 9V-SKQ, performing flight SQ8899, took off from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) and landed in Singapore Changi Airport (SIN), a home base of SIA’s Airbus A380 fleet.
The airline said that it sent back its double-decker to SIN for a scheduled Airbus A380 cabin remodeling, prompting speculations that Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 might be soon coming back to commercial service.
“Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) can confirm that one of our Airbus A380 aircraft that was stored in Alice Springs has begun its planned return to Singapore ahead of a scheduled retro-fitting and maintenance programme,” Singapore Airlines (SIA1) (SINGY) told the Australian Aviation.
The flag-carrier of Singapore plans to retire seven of its Airbus A380 aircraft. However, other 12 A380s would be kept in service and remodeled by the end of 2021.The remodeled aircraft would have the newest first class suites on the forward upper deck.