Airbus A380 makes maiden voyage to India

New Delhi, May 6: Airbus A380 that can seat up to 850 passengers in a double-decker format today cruised through Indian skies as part of its world tour for the first time.

The biggest passenger jet ever built landed at 1030 hrs at the IGI Airport here.

The plane is expected to enter commercial service with Singapore Airlines (SIA) in October.

It has a wingspan of 261.8 feet (79.8 metres), a length of 239.5 feet (73 metres) and a maximum take-off weight of more than 540,000 kg (1.2 million pounds).

The giant plane has a maximum range of 15,000 km -- sufficient to fly from Chicago to Sydney nonstop -- and a cruising speed of 900 km per hour. It is set to challenge the Boeing 747's long dominance of the jumbo jet market.

Airbus, which was created by a consortium of aerospace companies, has heralded the A380 as a triumph of European innovation and cooperation.

Kingfisher Airline is the only Indian carrier that has a firm order for five A380 aircrafts. Kingfisher is due to take delivery of the aircraft in 2011-12.

But because airports are concerned about congestion both in the air and on the ground, anything that increases the number of passengers without increasing the number of flights is welcome.

Airbus sees the giant A380 as future of aviation, responding to airline calls for a bigger plane to meet increasing passenger numbers flying between major hubs. The manufacturer has firm orders and commitments for 166 aircraft from 15 customers.

UNI