THE massive A380 aircraft that has been parked up at Prestwick Airport since May is set to depart.

The aircraft arrived to much fanfare earlier this year, as the first ever A380 to touch down in South Ayrshire.

It belongs to Global Airlines, a start-up airline that purchased the aircraft from China Southern and painted its own livery.

Global has now signed a contract with German company Elbe Flugzeugwerke for the aircraft to undergo base maintenance inspection in Dresden.

The airline has confirmed that the aircraft, registered 9H-GLOBL, “will undergo all necessary maintenance, including mandatory inspections and component replacements, before repositioning within Europe for an interior overhaul, ahead of starting operations in 2025”.

Global said: “The aircraft, that flew from the Mojave Desert in California to Prestwick Airport on May 1, will now take its next step towards starting operations as the Global project reaches the next stage of development.

"Extensive return to service work has already been carried out as the aircraft continues its journey back to the skies.

"Global Airlines and EFW are now working closely with Airbus on flight conditions and the tasks that will be required for the major maintenance. This will now be undertaken as part of a comprehensive deal with EFW.”

The A380 is expected to fly out of Prestwick in the coming weeks, with its wheels locked down for the journey which is standard practice for aircraft following storage.