11/02/12, 23:00:24 EST

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'New era in travel' as Airbus delivers first Superjumbos

icwales.icnetwork.co.uk

Passengers were promised a new era in luxurious but environmentally-sensitive air travel today as Airbus delivered the first of its mammoth A380 "superjumbos" to an airline.

Putting a series of costly production delays behind it, the European plane-maker handed over the 240ft-long double-decker aircraft to Singapore Airlines at a ceremony in Toulouse, southern France.

Airbus claims the A380 will transform travellers’ experience of flying by offering a much quieter and more spacious cabin than its rivals.

The company is also proud of the new aircraft’s greatly-reduced environmental impact, boasting it is “greener, cleaner, quieter and smarter”.

Compared to the Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet, the A380 makes a quarter of the noise coming into land, burns 12% less fuel and produces 17% fewer carbon dioxide emissions.

Singapore Airlines’ first passenger flight in its new aircraft will take place from Singapore to Sydney in 10 days’ time.

The carrier plans to launch the first A380 services to Britain in the spring - flying from Singapore to London’s Heathrow airport – after it receives its next two superjumbos.

The A380 can carry up to 853 passengers in an economy-class-only configuration, but most airlines are expected to take advantage of the extra space and carry fewer people in more luxury.

Singapore Airlines today unveiled the luxurious cabin interior of its A380s, which have 471 seats divided into economy, business class and 12 special “suites” described as “a class beyond first”.

The suites – which cost 20-25% more than first class – feature a 23in-wide leather chair, a separate full-size bed and a 23in LCD screen.

Couples who book two suites on a flight can lift the dividing panel between them and create a double bed for a romantic encounter in the skies.

Development and testing of the A380 has taken more than a decade, but production delays put back the delivery of a finished aircraft around two years and rocked Toulouse-based Airbus’s parent company, EADS.

These setbacks, partly caused by problems with the complicated wiring for the A380’s entertainment system, wiped out more than £3.4 billion in forecast profits.

News of further delays to the programme made public in June last year knocked 26% off the EADS share price and led to the resignations of three senior executives.

To compound this, allegations emerged this month of “massive insider trading” by senior Airbus and EADS managers in the run-up to the announcement – claims Airbus denies.

Airbus chief executive Thomas Enders tried to put aside the company’s troubles and concentrate on its achievements at today’s ceremony, which was attended by staff and journalists from around the world.

Painting the A380 as the successor to the 747 jumbo jet, he heralded it as “unquestionably the defining aircraft of its generation”.

Mr Enders described the new aircraft as a “gentle green giant”, saying it would meet airlines’ needs for decades to come and allow air travel to grow.

He said: “The A380 is not a luxury, it is a necessity. That is why increasing A380 production to meet demand remains our biggest challenge for the next two years.”

Addressing Airbus employees directly, Mr Enders said: “I realise how unsettling recent times, particularly the last 18 months, have been.

“But that only serves to make this achievement all the more impressive.”

Speaking at the glitzy unveiling ceremony, Singapore Airlines chief executive Chew Choon Seng said there was now “a new queen of the skies”.

Seats on the maiden flight of the new A380 were auctioned for charity on eBay, with one person paying 100,380 US dollars (about £50,000) for one of the luxurious suites.

British Airways chief executive Willie Walsh said the superjumbo would “change the face of the industry” and bring Heathrow “major benefits” in noise and air quality.

BA last month announced an order for 12 A380s, which will come into service in 2012.

Today’s milestone is good news for thousands of British workers employed in the aerospace industry.

The superjumbo’s wings are designed and built by Airbus UK at its plants in Filton, north Bristol, and Broughton, north Wales.

And most A380s – including the Singapore Airlines model unveiled today – will be powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, which are assembled in Derby.

Airbus already has 189 orders for the new aircraft from 16 customers, including Virgin Atlantic, Dubai-based Emirates, Qantas and Malaysia Airlines.

Singapore Airlines has already placed firm orders for 19 A380s, and at list prices its commitment is worth about £2.8 billion including engines and spares.

 Printable Version  | published Oct 15, 2007