Singapore grounds A380 after plane rolls off runway

Singapore Airlines said yesterday it had grounded an Airbus A380 superjumbo bound for Sydney after the plane came loose from a tow truck and accidentally rolled onto the grass beside a runway.

Nobody injured in the incident Thursday involving the world's biggest airline, a company spokesman said, but passengers were taken off so the plane could be repositioned and inspected for any damage.

TRANSFER TO BOEING

Arrangements were being made for passengers to continue with their journey aboard a Boeing 747-400 aircraft yesterday evening, he said.

The truck, which was being used to push back the plane in preparation for the flight, "experienced some form of failure," causing it disconnect from the aircraft, the spokesman said.

"As a consequence of the failure on the truck, the aircraft ... came into contact with the grass verge off the airport tarmac. The aircraft was not under its own power at the time," he said.

"It is too early at this time to know the cause of the incident, but Singapore Airlines will investigate this quickly and is filing reports with the appropriate Singapore authorities," he said.

Singapore Airlines received its first A380 in October to become the first carrier in the world to operate the hulking, double-decker aircraft, which it is currently using for the Singapore- Sydney route.

FIRST TO FLY

Travelers from around the world booked their seats on the maiden flight in October in an online charity auction. One Briton paid US$100,000 to be among the first to fly the largest passenger plane ever constructed.

The plane, so large that 72 cars could fit on each of its wings, can carry up to 853 passengers. But Singapore Airlines has opted for a more luxurious set-up with a maximum of 471 seats.