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Airbus A380 cabins revealed today as SIA confirms Sydney route will be world's first

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  • Airbus A380 cabins revealed today as SIA confirms Sydney route will be world's first

    Airbus A380 cabins revealed today as SIA confirms Sydney route will be world's first, followed by London in 2008

    Around 200 journalists boarded the fourth of five dedicated Airbus A380 test aircraft earlier today for the programme's first public flight. It comes as launch customer Singapore Airlines (SIA) confirms it Singapore-Sydney will be the first route to use the ultralarge airliner in revenue service, to be followed by Singapore-London.

    At around 13:00 manufacturer's serial number 007 took off from Toulouse with journalists from several countries and media for a 2h flight over the Atlantic Ocean. The aircraft (thought to have been given the registration F-WWJB in reference to its 007 serial number and nicknamed "James Bond" in Airbus circles) had previously been used for the April 2006 Hamburg evacuation trials, when it was kitted out with a high-density cabin incorporating 853 passenger seats.

    The aircraft, which is expected eventually to be delivered to United ArabEmirates carrier Ethihad Airways, has now been refitted with an as-yet unseen fully-representative multiclass cabin understood to feature around 500 seats. MSN007 was due to be used in last-year's route-proving campaign, but was one of the casualties of the programme's delays, with MSN002 switched in to replace it.

    In September The A380 operated its first fully representative "passenger" flights when 474 people drawn from Airbus employees, suppliers and certification officials travelled on the ultra large aircraft during the four- flight early long flight (ELF) test programme (pictured above). As such, today's flight for MSN007 is the A380's first major passenger flight carrying non-programme-related personnel.

    Meanwhile SIA has publicly detailed plans to convert one of its three daily Singapore-Sydney flights from the Boeing 747-400 to A380 after taking delivery of its first A380, MSN003, currently scheduled for October. After it takes a second A380 in early 2008, SIA plans to begin operating the aircraft between Singapore and London Heathrow.

    “We now expect to launch the first service at end of this year, with the inaugural London service commencing in early 2008,” SIA general manger of UK and Ireland Marvin Tan said last night at the carrier’s annual parliamentary reception in London.

    SIA now operates three daily 747-400 flights between Singapore and London. Tan says SIA’s midnight flight from Singapore will be the first to receive the A380 because this flight now has higher load factors than its two daytime flights from Singapore to London. The overnight flight from Singapore lands in London early in the morning and departs London just before noon, arriving in Singapore early the following morning.

    Tan says SIA will now transition all seven frequencies in one swoop. Initially three weekly frequencies will likely be operated with the A380, followed by five and finally seven.

    Tan says the long-term plan is for SIA to operate A380s on all three of its daily Singapore-London flights and all three of its daily Singapore-Sydney flights. But Tan says when this is achieved depends on the delivery schedule. He says for aircraft scheduling reasons other routes will have to receive some A380 frequencies before London-Singapore-Sydney is totally converted to A380s.

    “Once we convert our three daily London flights to A380s we can offer as many seats as it would take four 747s to provide, while moving to new, cleaner quieter technology,” Tan says.

    “Despite its size the A380 is an environmentally-friendly aircraft with new fuel efficient technology and a noise footprint half of the Boeing 747. Its deployment also enables us to increase capacity at crowded airports such as Heathrow and satisfy demand, while being 20% more fuel efficient. For us that’s important. We can use the A380 to grow capacity into London without needing to increase the number of flights.”

    http://www.flightglobal.com/articles...lds-first.html
    2008 for LHR??

  • #2
    So the rumours were correct
    Finally the information is official

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by quik! View Post
      2008 for LHR??
      Given the increased KF redemption rates, do you mean ... so soon ?

      Comment


      • #4
        Does that mean that the KF redemption will be twice as much (90k for one-way upgrade from Y). I never got the meaning, actually

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by quik! View Post
          Does that mean that the KF redemption will be twice as much (90k for one-way upgrade from Y).
          If SQ follow what they've done with 77W redemptions, then yes.

          Comment


          • #6
            Urgh, by 2008 I should hope that I have shifted base to EWR!

            Which is why I was annoyed to hear LHR will get A380 only by 2008 coz I wanted to try it!

            Comment


            • #7
              You scared me there for a while..... I thought you gave a thumb down for the new SQ 380 cabin.

              By the way, when will we start to see the new SQ 380 cabin? Anyone knows?

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by UMD View Post
                You scared me there for a while..... I thought you gave a thumb down for the new SQ 380 cabin.
                Totally agree: misleading headline there, quik! -- tsk tsk .

                For the new SQ380 cabins, I hear that the true revelation is in the F cabin.
                ‘Lean into the sharp points’

                Comment


                • #9
                  http://www.bizbuzzmedia.com/blogs/ai...2/07/6875.aspx

                  "Launch customer SIA will equip its upstairs business class section in a roomier five-abreast configuration with 30-inch-wide seats that convert into flat beds.

                  Downstairs there were three economy sections in a 3-4-3 configuration with a total of 307 seats. At the front of the downstairs cabin, right in front of the cockpit, were 12 80-inch-long first-class seats in a six-abreast configuration. SIA plans to offer a roomier first class suite with only four seats abreast."

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Video of the flight from BBC:
                    http://news.bbc.co.uk/media/avdb/new...77_16x9_nb.ram


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by 9V-JKL View Post
                      http://www.bizbuzzmedia.com/blogs/ai...2/07/6875.aspx

                      "Launch customer SIA will equip its upstairs business class section in a roomier five-abreast configuration with 30-inch-wide seats that convert into flat beds."
                      My mind can't imagine the current new B77W seats five abreast. Can someone provide enlightenment?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Singapore_Air View Post
                        My mind can't imagine the current new B77W seats five abreast. Can someone provide enlightenment?
                        Yeah, how does five abreast work when direct aisle access is one of the selling points of the new J class seats.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by 9V-JKL View Post
                          http://www.bizbuzzmedia.com/blogs/ai...2/07/6875.aspx

                          "Launch customer SIA will equip its upstairs business class section in a roomier five-abreast configuration with 30-inch-wide seats that convert into flat beds.

                          Downstairs there were three economy sections in a 3-4-3 configuration with a total of 307 seats. At the front of the downstairs cabin, right in front of the cockpit, were 12 80-inch-long first-class seats in a six-abreast configuration. SIA plans to offer a roomier first class suite with only four seats abreast."

                          This whole thing is quite confusing:

                          Five Abreast for the New Business Class???? The upper deck of 380 is probably just a little bit wider than 77W
                          12 80-inch long first class seats in 6 abreast? ?????
                          Followed by another first class suites with only 4 abreast?????

                          I think the reporter get it all

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by UMD View Post
                            This whole thing is quite confusing:

                            12 80-inch long first class seats in 6 abreast? ????? Followed by another first class suites with only 4 abreast?????

                            I think the reporter get it all
                            The plane that they were on had 6 abreast but SQ's config will have 4 abreast.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by UMD View Post
                              This whole thing is quite confusing:

                              Five Abreast for the New Business Class???? The upper deck of 380 is probably just a little bit wider than 77W
                              12 80-inch long first class seats in 6 abreast? ?????
                              Followed by another first class suites with only 4 abreast?????

                              I think the reporter get it all
                              The upper deck of the 380 is NARROWER than the 77W

                              In any case, 5 abreast means that at least 1 seat will not have aisle access - and the way the J seats were designed - aisle access is a NECESSITY, not a luxury - ain't gonna happen i think.

                              Comment

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