The world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380 "super-jumbo", is due to touch down at Heathrow airport today on its first commercial flight to Europe .
The giant plane embarked on a 14-hour journey from Singapore’s Changi airport yesterday, with over 470 passengers on board, and is due to arrive at Heathrow later today at 1505 GMT.
Singapore Airlines is the first carrier to operate the new double-decker aircraft on revenue-earning services. The airline has three A380s in service, with 16 more on order, and has been using them on flights between Singapore and Sydney, Australia, since October 2007.
The aircraft’s manufacturer Airbus claims the aircraft is the quietest and greenest big plane in the industry, saying the aircraft burns 17 per cent less fuel per seat than the current largest airliner.
Those on board the giant double-decker, Rolls Royce powered aircraft have received personalised certificates to commemorate the historic first flight to the UK .
Passengers have been seated in the plane’s three classes. First class includes 12 luxury suites with 23-inch TV and cinema screens and double beds, while business class allows 60 people to enjoy flat-bed sleeping, and economy gives nearly 400 passengers seat-back screens and more leg-room than any other aircraft.
Heathrow has spent more than £100m on building new facilities to accommodate the A380 which will be flying in to Terminal 3. The airport's state-of-the-art £4.3bn Terminal 5, which was officially opened by the Queen last week, can also take the super-jumbo.
British Airways is due to take the first of its 12 ordered A380s in 2012, while Virgin Atlantic, which has ordered six of the super-jumbo’s, will have to wait an extra year before receiving their first delivery .
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