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TOULOUSE: After a delay of close to two years, Singapore Airlines (SIA) will receive its A380 superjumbo from Airbus on October 15.
This world's biggest passenger plane can hold up to 800 passengers.
SIA will fly the superjumbo on its so-called "kangaroo route" among London, Singapore and Sydney. Its pilots have already been to Toulouse to test it out.
The airline has bought 19 A380s, which cost around US$300 million each. And there is speculation that SIA will buy more of the superjumbo as it modernises its fleet to stay ahead of the competition.
"They always had and still have what they call a very young fleet. It means they do re-sell their aircraft long before they should be replaced because something better has come available. So it's not surprising to see Singapore Airlines being the first to put the A380 into service," said Pierre Sparaco of Aviation Week.
SIA should have received its first A380 in 2005, but the superjumbo suffered major teething problems.
"Singapore Airlines is an extremely professional company. They are in our facilities every day. They know exactly where their airplanes are. And I think they are more and more confident they will get their airplane on time," said Louis Gallois, president of EADS.
SIA executives were reportedly unhappy about the delays, and they are believed to have obtained a partial refund from Airbus.
Tickets for the first commercial flight auctioned on E-bay chalked up nearly US$2 million, and one passenger even paid more than US$100,000 for a seat on this SIA flight on October 25. - CNA/ac
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