Singapore Airlines (SIA) said today that it will take delivery of its first Airbus A380 superjumbo, the world's biggest passenger plane, on Oct. 15, two years late, and expects to take it on its first regular flight on Oct. 25.
Its First Flight – SQ380 – will be to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport, and the aircraft will return to Singapore on Friday Oct 26.
The world's biggest airline by stock market value said in a statement that it would pick up the aircraft from European planemaker EADS in Toulouse and take it to Singapore to allow crew and ground staff to familiarise itself with the plane for a few days.
SIA, the first carrier to fly the new plane commercially, will equip the A380 with 471 seats in three classes; Economy, Business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites: a class beyond First.
SIA also said seats across all three classes will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, eBay, and there will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travelers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience.