The Hindu Business Line : A380 arrives on maiden visit

ONE FOR THE ALBUM: Spectators watch the world's largest super jumbo long-range Airbus A380 readying for touch down at the IGI airport in New Delhi on Sunday. — V.V. Krishnan

New Delhi May 6 The world's biggest passenger aircraft, the double-decker Airbus A380 touched down at New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International airport this morning at the start of a four-day India visit.

Before touching down at 10.50 a.m. the aircraft, which flew in from the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, did a fly-around over the Capital.

Soon after arrival, the pilot waved the Indian flag to the cheering crowds gathered to see the A380 on its maiden visit to India.

The Airbus A380, which is to enter commercial service with Singapore Airlines later this year, is capable of carrying more than 550 passengers in a three-class configuration.

Orders

The aircraft's visit to India coincides with the second anniversary celebrations of Kingfisher Airlines, which till date is the only Indian carrier to have ordered the aircraft.

The airline has placed firm orders for five aircraft and has the option of purchasing another five. The aircraft is currently parked at one end of the airport in Delhi, as like many airports around the globe the facilities for receiving the A380 are not yet ready here.

At the moment only a couple of airports including those in Singapore, Hong Kong, Frankfurt and Los Angeles are in a position to receive the aircraft in a parking bay. The A380 has a wingspan of 845 square metres, has 530 km of cable, 1,00,000 wires and over 40,000 connectors hidden in its interiors.

On display

The aircraft will be on static display for the general public to have a look first in Delhi and then in Mumbai.

After a two-day stop in Delhi, during which the A380 will do a VVIP flight over Delhi with dignitaries such as the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, the aircraft will take off for Mumbai on the afternoon of May 8. The aircraft will fly back to Toulouse on May 10.