Business | Aviation
Singapore's A380 superjumbo starts London route
A Singapore Airlines A380, the world's biggest passenger plane, left Singapore for London on its first commercial flight to Europe on Tuesday.
- Agencies
- Published: 11:21 March 18, 2008
Singapore: A Singapore Airlines A380, the world's biggest passenger plane, left Singapore for London on its first commercial flight to Europe, on Tuesday.
The Singapore Airlines flight, carrying 449 passengers, lifted off the tarmac at 9.20 am from Changi Airport, and will reach Heathrow Airport on Tuesday at about 3:05 pm local time
Passengers paid between S$2,000 and S$20,000 to be the first on the superjumbo's new daily service, which will take off on its return flight on the same day.
The national carrier launched the first A380 flight to Sydney with much fanfare, as passengers bid between $560 and $100,380 for tickets as part of a charity auction to drum up publicity.
Among the passengers on Tuesday's flight were 17 customers who had been on the inaugural flight to Sydney, wearing custom-made polo shirts with "A380" emblazoned across the back.
The carrier hosted a send-off event for passengers at
Singapore's Changi Airport to commemorate the double-decker plane's European commercial debut.
Passengers took pictures and helped themselves to breakfast ahead of boarding.
"I booked an extra ticket just for this experience," said Christian Ernst, 25, of Germany, who made a special stopover in Singapore on his way from South Korea to Frankfurt.
"I'm really interested in this technology," added Ernst, a mechanical engineering student . "I've also visited the production line in Hamburg and now I really want to experience the plane flying in the air."
The A380, as tall as a seven-story building, can seat more than 800 passengers in an all-economy class configuration.
Singapore Airlines has opted for 471 seats in three classes - 12 Singapore Airlines suites, 60 business class and 399 economy class seats.
Each luxury suite is equipped with sliding doors, a
58-centimeter (23-inch) LCD TV, a full bed and a leather seat. Two of the suites can be joined to provide double beds.
Powered by four Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines, the A380 ends the nearly 37-year reign of the US-made Boeing 747 jumbo jet as the world's most spacious passenger plane.
The 747 jumbo jet generally carries about 400 passengers.
Airbus, the European manufacturer of the A380, says the new plane is the most fuel efficient and quietest passenger jet ever built, from inside and outside.
"I'm really interested in this technology," said Ernst,
a mechanical engineering student who booked an economy seat on the main deck. "I've also visited the production line in Hamburg and now I really want to experience the plane flying in the air."
Singapore Airlines will also start flying another A380 jet, its fourth and yet to be delivered, on its Singapore-Tokyo route from May 20.
Dubai-based Emirates will become the second airline with the plane when it takes its first delivery in August.
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