SUPER-JUMBO aviation has arrived with the delivery to Heathrow of British Airways’ first A380. The airline is the first UK carrier to take delivery of the double-decker, the world’s largest commercial jet. British Airways is also the first airline in Europe to operate both the A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The first long-haul flight on the A380 to Los Angeles will be on September 24, 2013, and the first to Hong Kong will be on October 22. Customers can book online at ba.com
Keith Williams, British Airways’ CEO, said: “These aircraft are the start of a new era for British Airways. Over the next 15 months, we will take delivery of new aircraft at the rate of one a fortnight as we put ourselves at the forefront of modern aviation.”
British Airways’ A380s will accommodate 469 customers across four cabins.
The aircraft’s innovative design makes it much quieter during take-off and landing and 16 per cent more fuel efficient than a Boeing 747. British Airways has ordered 12 A380s for delivery by 2016. Three will arrive this year followed by a further five in 2014.
Both aircraft types will now begin a complex ‘entry into service’ programme, which will see pilot and cabin crew training taking place at Manston Airport in Kent, customer service trials at Heathrow and short-haul flying for both aircraft, including flights within the UK.