Australia's Qantas Airways said on Thursday it would begin retiring its 10 Airbus A380 superjumbos from mid-2028, four years earlier than previously planned, as maintenance costs rise and newer, more efficient aircraft join its fleet.

The company said its fuel bill jumped by more than $600 million while chief Vanessa Hudson defended Jetstar’s decision to begin charging for priority access to overhead bins.

Australia's Qantas Airways said on Thursday it would begin retiring its 10 Airbus A380 superjumbos from mid-2028, four years earlier than previously planned, as maintenance…