The world's biggest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380, flew into London's Heathrow Airport for the first time today.
Among the dignitaries welcoming the plane was the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown.
With him were the heads of some of the 16 airlines that have already ordered the 240ft-long aircraft, which will go into passenger service in December this year.
Flying in from the Berlin Air Show, the plane had taken a deliberate detour so it could fly over two Airbus UK plants, Broughton in north Wales, where the plane's wings are made, and Filton in Bristol.
The plane, which can carry 555 passengers, is due to undertake airport-compatibility tests before returning to Berlin.
Airbus has so far taken 159 firm orders from 16 airlines for the plane.
Singapore Airlines will be the first carrier to put the A380 into passenger service at the end of this year.
Heathrow is one of 25 airports that will be ready to take the A380 by the end of this year and 60 airports will be superjumbo-compatible by 2010.
