Airbus and Singapore Airlines have begun pre-delivery tests for the first A380 to enter commercial service.
Aircraft 003 will be delivered to Singapore Airlines this October.
As part of its introduction promotion, and as a magnificent gesture, Singapore Airlines is auctioning seats on the maiden passenger flight through its own website and the global marketplace, ebay. SIA says that every dollar raised will go to two Australian and a Singapore-based charity.
The airline is initially using the A380 on the Singapore-Sydney route, around eight hours each way, allowing the aircraft to return to its Singapore home base every night with enough time to deal with any possible ”first aircraft” problems.
Singapore Airlines CEO, Chew Choon Seng said that the airline wanted to acknowledge widespread interest in this all-new airplane entering into commercial service and to use the opportunity to benefit worthwhile charities.
”The first commercial A380 flight will be a moment in aviation history. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, on an aircraft that will mark a new chapter in air travel, he said.
”And while we will celebrate the event, we also wish to remember the people who are less fortunate and can be assisted by the charities to which all the proceeds will go.”
ExxonMobil Aviation are donating the fuel, ebay have come in with subsidy of the fees and charges, and PayPal, the online payment provider, have offered a rebate of costs.
Singapore Airlines” first A380 is now back in Toulouse, where it was initially assembled, after returning from Hamburg, the site of the Airbus completion facility. Painting of Singapore Airlines” first aircraft took 21 days and used more than 2,200 litres of chromate-free paint.
The aircraft is configured for 485 passengers, considerably less than the 853 it is certificated for.
