Pilots flying Qantas's Airbus A380 superjumbos are facing pay cuts of up to A$100,000 as the Australian carrier begins retiring its 10-strong A380 fleet from mid-2028, according to a report in The Australian.

Reporter Robyn Ironside wrote that while affected pilots will be able to transfer to other widebody aircraft in the Qantas fleet, the structure of long-haul pay agreements generally means smaller aircraft carry lower remuneration for flight crew.

A separate report by Crikey estimated that pilots and first officers on the A380 will see their salaries cut by about 30%, affecting an estimated 300 staff. Under the airline's "reduction in numbers" rules, those pilots will get priority for positions on newer aircraft—but the shift is expected to affect promotion prospects for other pilots in the system, regardless of seniority, Crikey reported, citing pilots and former pilots.

Qantas confirmed alongside its FY26 results on August 27, 2026, that it would bring forward the retirement of its A380 fleet to 2028, four years earlier than the previously planned 2032 timeline. The airline's underlying pre-tax profit fell 13.8 percent to A$2.06 billion in FY26, with rising fuel and maintenance costs cited as key pressures.

The A380s are being progressively replaced by new Airbus A350-1000ULRs and Boeing 787s, with the first A350 due to enter service in April 2027 ahead of Qantas's "Project Sunrise" nonstop Sydney-London and Sydney-New York routes.

Sources: The Australian/Crikey