The Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger plane, has completed its first commercial flight, from Singapore's Changi Airport to London Heathrow, the jet's first European destination.
Flight SQ308, operated by A380 launch customer Singapore Airlines, departed Changi Airport's new Terminal 3 this morning. The flight carried 449 passengers.
SIA said 17 passengers from nine countries who had flown on the world's first ever A380 commercial flight from Singapore to Sydney in October last year were also on board the inaugural flight to London.
SIA has configured the A380 double-decker plane, which can carry up to 853 passengers in an all-economy configuration, to a maximum 471 seats, including 12 exclusive suites which the airline describes as 'a class beyond first.'
Each suite comes with a full-length bed behind sliding doors, sheets by French design house Givenchy and flat-screen televisions.
SIA acquired its first A380 in October last year, becoming the first airline to operate the world's biggest passenger jet with the launch of commercial services from Singapore to Sydney in the same month. The airline has committed to buy another 16 A380s with options for six more.
