Singapore Airlines first Airbus A380 flight to take off on 25 October 2007
Zurich (ots)
Airbus and Singapore Airlines have agreed to a delivery timetable for the first ever A380 aircraft. The aircraft is planned for handover by Airbus to Singapore Airlines on Monday, 15th October 2007 at a ceremony in Toulouse.
It will be configured with 471 seats in three classes: Economy, Business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites: a class beyond First.
Within a few days of delivery, the aircraft will fly to Singapore's Changi Airport: the world's first A380 home airport. There will be a short period set aside for crew and ground staff familiarisation. World aviation history will be made when the Singapore Airlines makes its first flight - SQ 380- to Sydney 's Kingsford Smith Airport on Tuesday, 25th October and returns to Singapore on Friday 26th October. Singapore Airlines CEO, Mr.Chew Choon Seng, said the delivery would mark the beginning of a new chapter for the aviation industry.
The seats in all three classes on the first flight will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, e Bay. There will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travellers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience. For the new Singapore Airlines Suites, the A380's First flight will be the first ever occasion to fly on what will be a product that totally redefines luxury in the sky.
Entry into commercial scheduled service will commence on the Singapore-Sydney route soon after the first flight.
Charity Auction starts on the 27th of August 2007
The auction of seats on the First Flight will commence on Monday, 27th August 2007. Seats in all three classes will be sold progressively, across both legs of the flight.
Bids will be staggered to finish at various times over a period of just 2 weeks, with the auction cycle being completed on the 10th of September 2007.
The auction will be for single, double and multiple seats in each class. All seats will be sold on a one-way basis, so people wanting to fly on both legs of the First Flight will need to bid twice.
To participate in the auction, a bidder will need the following: - An eBay user ID. - The names and passport numbers of those travelling - For bids on packages in the premium classes (Business & Suites), or bids over US$ 1'000 in Economy Class, pre-qualification will be required. This ensures bids are not artificially inflated and gives bidders confidence they are bidding only against genuine and pre-qualified bidders.
Pre-qualification is limited online. Singapore Airlines' global auction management agency, Auctionwire, has developed numerous ways for bidders to pre-qualify and lodge security deposits for bids requiring pre-qualification.
All information on packages available, bid pre-qualification and how to get an eBay user ID is available on Singapore Airlines' website: www. singaporeair.com/a380.
100% of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to charities: - One-third to Singapore's Community Chest. - One third split between the Children's Hospital Randwick and Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in Sydney. - One third to Médecins-sans-Frontières
Contact:
Singapore Airlines Ltd
Press Department
Christina Hollenweger
Schüzengasse 23
8023 Zürich
Tel: +41/44/218'61'40
E-Mail: c_hollenweger@singaporeair.com.sg