Airbus A380 auction: own parts of superjumbo flown by Emirates

Flying on an Airbus A380 can be a memorable experience, and those who want to hold on to the memory can now obtain a very exclusive keepsake.

The plane maker is offering the chance to own a piece of aviation history through an auction of parts from an A380 superjumbo.

Proceeds from the auction will go to the Airbus Foundation, which funds humanitarian initiatives. Other proceeds will be donated to AlRitage, an organisation that protects aviation heritage.

The three-day auction runs from October 13 to October 15 and will feature 500 parts. It will be hosted by auctioneer Marc Labarbe in Toulouse, France.

Here are some of the standout items:

• Set of two business class seat lamps — estimate €800-€1,300 ($784-$1,274)
• Side panel of fuselage — estimate €400-€800
• Baggage box, set of two — estimate €1,200-€2,000
• Double trolley unit — estimate €400-€600
• Emergency axe — estimate €500-€800
• Row of three economy class seats with screens — estimate €1,000-€2,000
• Folding hostess seat — estimate €300-€500
• Bar bench from first or business class — estimate €3,000-€5,000
• Rear cone of the engine in three parts — estimate €10,000-€15,000
• Faux marble sink from first class — €2,000-€3,500
• Access door to the cabin — €3,000-€5,000
• Cockpit staircase — no estimate

French planemaker Airbus is to stage a three-day auction on October 13, 14 and 15 to mark 17 years since the maiden flight of the A380. The auction, featuring many curios from a retired Emirates plane, will take place in Toulouse, home of the company, and online. Fans of the big plane may want to bid for this A380 passenger boarding door. Photo: Airbus

The majority of the parts come from the A380 MSN13, which entered service in 2008 with Dubai's Emirates airline, and was deconstructed in 2021.

The A380 was introduced in 2005 and is the world's largest passenger aircraft with room for 545 passengers, although theoretically it can carry a maximum of 853.

In February 2019, Airbus announced it would scrap production of the A380.

It was hit hard during the early part of the coronavirus pandemic when international travel took a major hit and airlines turned to smaller, more fuel-efficient aircraft.

Airbus sold only 251 of the planes and the last delivery, to Emirates, was made in December 2021.

In recent months, Emirates has been retrofitting its A380s with premium economy cabins, with flights to five cities expected to provide the new offering.

By the end of this year, the airline will use 85 A380s to service about a third of its total network.

Emirates said last month that by March 2023, it would be flying its superjumbos to 42 destinations around the world, offering 400 departures with 460,000 weekly A380 seats.