Qantas is bringing back first class on its flagship Airbus A380 flights between Sydney and Los Angeles. The Australian airline is restarting its highly-regarded first class cabin service on March 27. When the A380 resumes flying the Sydney - Singapore - London Heathrow route in June, London-bound travelers can also enjoy the well-upholstered surrounds of Qantas first class.

Qantas reboots A380 first class at the end of March

Qantas made the announcement on Monday while confirming a fourth A380 was returning to service. VH-OQH Reginald Ansett left Los Angeles earlier on Monday after a gear lift procedure there and, at the time of publication, is on its way to Abu Dhabi for some heavy maintenance before returning to Australia to prepare for passenger flights in June.

VH-OQH is 11 years old, and one of ten A380s Qantas is returning to service over the next couple of years. In addition to VH-OQH, the Qantas A380s back in the air by June will include VH-OQB Hudson Fysh, VH-OQD Fergus McMaster, and VH-OQK John Duigan / Reginald Duigan. All three planes are now back in Australia and based in Sydney.

Qantas resumed flying the A380 between Sydney and Los Angeles in January. The freshly refurbished A380s (which all aircraft currently plying the Sydney - Los Angeles route are) seat 485 passengers across four cabin classes, including 14 passengers in the first class cabin located at the front of the main deck.

"We know that our customers have missed the Qantas A380 travel experience as much as our team has missed being able to provide it for them, so it's fantastic that we're back in the air with our premium full service on these newly refurbished aircraft," says Qantas' Chief Customer Officer Stephanie Tully.

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Photo: Qantas

Sad news for Qantas international business class passengers

Since January, Qantas has upgraded its top-tier business class passengers into the first class seats on the A380 but only offered business class service. But with first class service coming back, the upgrades will end, and business passengers will remain (not uncomfortably) marooned in the business class badlands.

In other bad news for business class passengers, coinciding with the reintroduction of the first class cabin, Qantas is reopening its international business class lounges at Sydney and Melbourne Airports at the end of March. Since Qantas resumed international flights, those passengers have been directed into the far nicer Qantas First Lounges at both airports - but that lovely perk is ending.

Qantas will also reopen its first class check-in suite at Sydney's international terminal for its first customers and top-tier frequent flyers to enjoy a personalized and streamlined check-in. Executive Traveller reports that Qantas plans to reopen its first class lounge in Los Angeles around the end of March but has yet to lock in a firm date. The Singapore first class lounge will reopen when the London A380 flights resume in June.

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Access to Qantas First lounges and its signature deconstructed pavlova (pictured) will end when Qantas reopens its international business lounges at the end of March. Photo: Qantas

Qantas signs another sustainable aviation fuel deal

Meanwhile, future A380 flights between Australia and the United States will likely use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) after Qantas signed a deal to secure supplies in California for its flights from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Australia.

Qantas confirmed on Tuesday that US biofuels company Aemetis will supply almost 20 million liters of blended SAF each year for Qantas flights, starting in 2025. The fuel will be produced at Aemetis' plant currently under development in Riverbank, California. It will come from certified feedstock from waste products blended with normal jet fuel and is Qantas' second major offshore purchase of SAF with flights from London using a blend of sustainable fuel since the start of this year.

"We're actively looking to source sustainable aviation fuel for our operations," said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, adding that the airline could presently only buy SAF outside Australia while at the same time giving the local SAF scene a gentle slap down.

"The US, UK. and Europe have industries that have developed with a lot of government support because this is a new field and the long term benefits for those countries are obvious."