The Airbus Beluga, the whalebone plane used for decades in aircraft manufacturing logistics, is being retired for good after a failed bid to become a commercial cargo carrier. Only one of the original aircraft remains in service and the rest will be scrapped or converted, marking the end of an era for the 'whales of the skies'.
Airbus Beluga PHOTO: archive, the truth
Designed to transport large components, especially aircraft parts, the Beluga has been central to Airbus logistics for decades. The original A300-600ST model had a capacity of 47 tonnes and could accommodate objects up to 30 meters long, including a single aircraft wing per flight, according to Xataka.
As Airbus production increased and the company adopted the “just in time” system, the capacity of the old BelugaSTs became insufficient. The introduction of the much larger BelugaXL was a major step in logistical efficiency, allowing two wings to be transported in one run.
These aircraft were used to move bulky components between factories, such as wings produced at Broughton (UK) and delivered to assembly lines in Toulouse (France) or Hamburg (Germany). The accelerated pace of production thus required the use of a new, more efficient fleet, and the six BelugaXLs became the backbone of Airbus logistics.
The BelugaST models, designed to last around 40,000 flight hours, had been withdrawn from service for domestic transport, although they still had an estimated service life of around 20 years.
In 2022, Airbus tried to give them a second life by creating its own cargo airline, Airbus Beluga Transport (AiBT), specialized in transporting large-capacity cargo such as satellites, aircraft engines or heavy machinery.
In the context of the withdrawal of the Antonov An-124, previously used for such transports due to the Russia-Ukraine war, the BelugaST seemed the ideal solution. However, the market demand was insufficient, and about a year later, in 2024, AiBT suspended its activity.
Of the five BelugaST units, only one is currently active, the aircraft with registration number F-GSTC “3”.
The others were phased out: F-GSTA “1” was withdrawn at Bordeaux (21 April 2021), F-GSTB “2” also at Bordeaux (18 December 2025), F-GSTD “4” was withdrawn at Toulouse (17 September 2025) and F-GSTE “5” was withdrawn at Broughton on 29 January 2026. The latter will be converted into an interactive classroom for STEM studies in Great Britain.
