Airbus Beluga makes its last ever flight and everyone watching wasn't ready for the emotional moment
Published on Jun 22, 2026 at 8:29 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Jun 22, 2026 at 8:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
The Airbus Beluga is one of the most beloved planes on the planet, partly because it’s massive, and partly because of the way it looks.
Airbus even gave it an actual ‘smile’ at some point.
Sadly, Airbus is now retiring the original Beluga, and all aircraft should eventually be withdrawn within a couple of years.
This probably explains why tears were shed when the plane took off and landed for the last time.
A short but successful life
This aircraft’s career was relatively short-lived.
There are planes we’re still using after 50 or 60 years.
The Boeing 747, for example, is 57 years old, but by the time the last 747 is retired and parked for the last time, it’ll have remained in service for an impressive 80 or 90 years.
However, the Beluga was only introduced relatively recently, in the 1990s.
This giant 56-meter, 86.5-ton aircraft was designed to transport aircraft parts and outsize cargoes, and Airbus even built a bigger one, called the BelugaXL.
Unfortunately, the XL made the existence of the regular Beluga ‘surplus to requirements’, which is why all five aircraft are expected to be withdrawn by 2027.
Earlier this month, at the ILA Airshow in Berlin, the original Airbus Beluga took off for a final public demonstration run, and as you can see from the video shared by YouTuber Swiss001 below, tears were shed.
It’s easy to see why, though.
Why everyone loves the Airbus Beluga
Most airplanes are designed to be cool and sleek, but this plane – by accident or by design – ended up looking like a giant smiling fish in the sky.
Well, technically a mammal, since the Beluga is named after a whale.
Originally named Super Transporter, the aircraft was later officially renamed the Beluga, because that’s what everyone was calling it.
This oversized cargo plane features a massive, bulbous fuselage and a distinctively comical silhouette.
It looks ‘alive’ and that’s why people love it.
Watching its giant nose door hinge completely upward to ‘swallow’ parts of other airplanes is like watching a whale eat.
Airbus definitely banked on this, by the way.
The aerospace company embraced the plane’s celebrity status by adding a cheerful, winking smile livery to its newer XL models.
And that’s probably the silver lining.
While the original airplane is set to be retired, the smiling BelugaXL will keep on flying for the foreseeable future.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
