The A380’s First Flight: This is Asia’s Century

This week, Airbus finally launched its new jumbo jet, the A380, with its first maiden commercial flight. The flight was two years late, as a wiring problem delayed delivery of the jet to customers.

The maiden flight carried 455 passengers and 30 crew.

This was the first launch of a jumbo jetliner that many hope would revolutionize the airline industry since the launch of the Boeing 747 in 1970.

In 1970

Boeing 747 introduced
First double decker commerical airplane
Airline: PanAm
Destination: New York to London

Check out these comparison pictures from flightglobal.com:

In 2007

Airbus A380 introduced
Double decker commerical airplane
50% more space than the 747-400
Airline: Singapore Airlines
Destination: Singapore to Sydney

Interestingly, there was one passenger who flew on both flights. When he was 17, Thomas Lee was on board the flight from New York to London. This time, Singapore Airlines invited him to again be on board another historic flight. From the Herald Sun:

“This plane, of course, is bigger and it’s very quiet,” Mr Lee said.

“I don’t think one is better than the other, they’re both amazing planes. But this is exhilarating.”

The 747 maiden flight actually had a few snafus. The Chicago Tribune had a reporter on this week’s flight and the Tribune commented on the differences with the 747 launch:

Nor did the launch of the Boeing 747, the first jumbo jet, go as smoothly. The initial flight was called off as pilots spotted flames coming out of an engine. Pan Am shipped the passengers off to a restaurant while it brought in a back-up jet, Lee said.

According to a Chicago Tribune account of that day, 20 of the 362 passengers who’d been booked on the flight decided not to press their luck and headed home. Remarked television personality David Susskind during the delay: “It was the most sensational flight experience I have ever had.”

Hmm…flames shooting out of an engine? No doubt the 20 passengers who bailed were thinking they were pretty smart to pass on the historic flight.

Singapore Airlines has configured this plane with 399 economy seats, 60 business seats and 12 enclosed suites- which allow nearly complete privacy. The suites are kind of like the suites you can find on luxury trains without your own bathroom.

Other airlines will soon be getting their jet deliveries, with the Emirates and Quantas scheduled to start using the jet in the next 12 months. Each airline will configure their jets to their own specifications.

Passengers on this maiden voyage were airplane buffs from all over the world, with many paying very inflated prices for the right to say they were “first” in flying on the plane. Singapore Airlines, in a good bit of PR, donated all the ticket sales proceeds to charity.

The flight was significant for various reasons, but the most important, to me, being that it wasn’t from New York or London to some other destination. The first flight of this important aircraft took place exclusively in Asia. Not an American airport even mentioned.

The airline too, Singapore Airlines, couldn’t be further from an American or European dominated airlines. And no American or European airline is scheduled to even get the plane in the next year. Singapore Airlines clearly saw this as a source of pride (and rightly so). Their CEO, who was on the flight, told the Tribune:

“This is Asia’s century,” said David Chew.

Yes, that much is obvious.