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Qantas’ first Airbus finally lands in Sydney

A Qantas Airbus A380 is maneuvered into a hanger after landing at Sydney Airport in Australia yesterday, two years after the scheduled delivery. PHOTO: AP

Qantas Airways became the third airline to add an Airbus A380 to its fleet when its first super jumbo aircraft landed at Sydney airport yesterday, two years behind schedule.

The giant aircraft carrying 70 Qantas and Airbus staff plus journalists was welcomed at Sydney Airport by hundreds of applauding well-wishers after a 21-hour flight from the factory in Toulouse in France via Singapore.

The Airbus, which has a 525-seat capacity but which Qantas has configured to carry 450 passengers, will make its inaugural commercial flight from Melbourne, Australia, to Los Angeles on Oct. 20, Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said in a statement.

On board the delivery flight, Captain Peter Probert, whose father brought the first Boeing 747 jumbo to Australia in 1971, told passengers the flight had been a career highlight.

“It’s one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever had in my life flying the Qantas A380 down to Sydney,” he said.

Before touchdown, the aircraft flew circuits over some of Sydney’s iconic landmarks, including the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

The airliner was originally scheduled for delivery to Qantas in July 2006.

But a series of missteps, technical setbacks, communication failures and financial improprieties that have delayed the roll out.

During the official handover in France on Friday, Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said that his airline was considering increasing its current order from 20.

He did not say how many more planes he wanted.

Qantas is scheduled to receive three this year.

The A380 model has been in service since Singapore Airlines took delivery of the first of the double-decker A380 planes late last year.

Singapore Airlines operates five of the 19 planes it ordered on long-haul routes to Asia, Australia and Europe.

Last month, Dubai-based Emirates Airlines took delivery of the first of the 58 Airbuses it has ordered.
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