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Airbus hands first A380 Superjumbo to Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines has taken delivery of the first Airbus A380 Superjumbo in Toulouse, 19 months behind schedule.

The A380 will fly to Singapore on Wednesday and begin scheduled services between Singapore and Sydney on October 28.

However, the maiden commercial flight will come three days earlier, on October 25, in a charity flight to Sydney. Passengers have paid up to $100,000 for tickets.

The A380 can carry up to 550 passengers, but Singapore Airlines’ A380 is configured for 471, with 12 first-class suites.

The airline will also take delivery of the next three A380s off the production line, two of which are due in the new year. The first A380 in the UK should begin flying between Heathrow and Singapore in February.

The A380 has been dogged by production delays and the commercial viability of the aircraft remains in question. Airbus concedes it needs to sell 420 to break even on production, but has orders for just 189. By contrast, rival Boeing has sold more than 700 of its narrow-body 787s ahead of launch next year.

British Airways recently ordered 12 A380s and Virgin Atlantic has six on order.

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