The double decker Airbus A380 superjumbo will be able to fly from Gatwick after the airport won planning permission to operate the world’s largest passenger aircraft.
The approval means that it is possible that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic – which have both ordered the giant aircraft capable of carrying 555 passengers – will operate the A380 from the West Sussex airport.
Heathrow and Manchester have been the only UK airports able to accommodate the A380, which was first flown commercially by Singapore Airlines three years ago.