Airbus announced yesterday that it will deliver the first A380 to Singapore Airlines on Oct. 15, with the carrier’s first flight slated for Oct. 25 from Singapore to Sydney.The aircraft will be configured with 471 seats in three classes: Economy, business and “Singapore Airlines Suites.” Seats on the first flight will be auctioned via eBay and SIA said it will donate the proceeds to charity. The return Sydney-Singapore flight is scheduled for Oct. 26.

“Everyone at Singapore Airlines is keenly anticipating the delivery of this new plane and our people are working hard on final preparation for its entry into service,” CEO Chew Choon Seng said. “The first flight promises to be one of the most exciting occasions in aviation history.”

Under the original A380 program schedule, the first aircraft was scheduled to be delivered to SIA in May 2006, or 17 months earlier than now is planned following several program delays (ATWOnline, Sept. 22, 2006).

Airbus still touts the aircraft as a 555-seater, but SIA followed Qantas–which plans to seat 450 on its A380s–in revealing a configuration for far fewer passengers. Typically, 747-400s are configured for about 380 passengers, meaning the first A380s in operation will handle fewer than 100 additional passengers. However, they may not present the boarding and disembarking challenges some had feared.

While SIA said its A380 first-class suites “will be a product that totally redefines luxury in the sky,” it did not say whether it will feature self-service bars and lounges in first and business classes similar to Qantas.

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