Inside the A380

If you had been waiting at an airport for its arrival, you would be forgiven for travelling with another airline next time, but finally the new Airbus A380-800, is now ready for take-off.

Even when the plans were still on the drawing board the emphasis for the double-decker plane was on delivering passenger comfort and space. Available in two models with varying passenger seating configurations, the A380 offers 50% more floor space than the largest airliner, the Boeing 747 and provides seating for either 525 people in a standard three-class configuration or 853 people all in economy class.

When the Boeing 747 was first introduced in 1970, cinemas and cocktail lounges were disregarded in favour of more seating but the case couldn't be more different for the A380, which has since been dubbed the superjumbo. Instead travellers are being promised a far more pleasurable flight experience with more and wider seats, lower seat distance costs and better amenities while still maintaining space for installation of bars, duty free shopping and beauty salons. It also gives 50% lower cabin noise than the 747 and a lower cabin altitude of 5,000 feet, both of which are expected to reduce the effects of jet lag.

John Leahy, chief operating officer, Airbus says: "The A380 is designed with the future in mind, and it is literally taking the world by storm - you only have to see the excitement in crowds that turn up wherever it lands."

The A380 is also eco-friendly, "The A380 burns 2.9 litres of fuel per passenger per 100 kilometres, while the current airline fleet average is 5 litres. The airline industry consumes about 160 million tonnes of fuel per year," continues Leahy.

Who's got it?

Fifteen airlines have ordered the A380 and so far the total orders for the superjumbo stand at 174 of which 165 are confirmed. Casinos, double beds and bars are just some of the descriptions that have been used by airlines to describe how they will be making use of the extra space onboard the A380.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines will be the first to fly the latest Airbus offering next month. The superjumbo's maiden voyage will take place on 15th October from Singapore's Changi Airport to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport and will return the following week. Seats on the SQ380 flight are currently being auctioned off on eBay with the proceeds of the first flight being donated to a number of charities.

Singapore Airlines' A380 will be configured with 471 seats in three classes; economy, business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites, which are being marketed as a "class beyond First". In total the airline has ordered 19 of the superjumbos which are likely to be used for Singapore-San Francisco via Hong Kong and direct routes to Paris and Frankfurt.

Virgin Atlantic

Richard Branson has been more than vocal about his plans for his airline's six A380s which are expected to be delivered in 2013. The Virgin Atlantic founder recently said: "Our A380s are going to be bigger and better than any aircraft which has preceded them with bigger and better cabins for all our passengers. For both business and economy travellers we will be introducing a range of new features. Our innovations will ensure a better travel experience for everyone by utilising the space we have to play with to give our passengers more to play with too!"

The Virgin Atlantic A380 - which will operate to JFK, Hong Kong, Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Tokyo in three classes; upper class, premium economy and economy for up to 500 passengers - will feature gyms, beauty parlours, private double beds and an in-flight casino. "Since you have gaming and you have private double beds maybe there are two ways of getting lucky on a Virgin plane", the entrepreneur said.

Emirates Airline

Dubai-based Emirates was the first airline to make an initial order in April 2000 and it would be fair to say with a total of 55 superjumbos on order it is Airbus' number one fan. The first order placed was for seven but press reports over the following couple of years revealed the biggest civil aviation deal in history worth US$19bn when 23 models of the aircraft were ordered at the same time.

For Emirates, lower cost seating is priority, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Emirates group chairman says: "The A380 will give us some of the lowest seat costs in the industry. It is an essential solution at slot-constrained airports. It will be an impressive carrier, while offering more, not less, passenger comfort and amenities. We are striving to make the flying experience enjoyable again, and the A380 will be a great tool in support of this goal."

The airline hasn't yet revealed what interior will be onboard but recent deals have hinted that in-flight entertainment also remains top priority. A US$1bn deal with Matsushita for its eX2 in-flight entertainment system has already been signed, as well as a US$80m deal for the purchase of First Class suites from B/E Aerospace.

READERS' COMMENTS

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM