Qatar Airways Takes Delivery Of First Super-Jumbo A380

Five-star carrier Qatar Airways today took delivery of its highly anticipated super-jumbo A380, the first of 10 Airbus A380-800s on order.

In a press briefing along with Airbus at the Airbus Factory in Hamburg, Germany, group chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: “This has been a moment more than a decade in the making and we are so delighted to unveil a new passenger experience for our travellers.

“The A380 that we are introducing is not just any A380; we have completely designed every element, giving it a signature touch that has never been seen before on board.”

The airline will debut A380 services on one of its frequencies on the Doha–London route from October, followed by Paris Charles De Gaulle shortly thereafter.

The 517-seat aircraft is spread across twin decks in a tri-class configuration of 8 seats in first class, 48 seats in business class and 461 in economy class.

The first class seats feature a 90-inch pitch with a fully flat bed.

Business class seats feature a pitch of 52 inches which also recline to fully flat beds.

Economy class passengers benefit from the most spacious A380 arrangement flying in the skies, with a pitch of 32 inches spread in a 10-seats-across layout.

The premium cabin is also fitted with multiple bespoke elements such as luxe finishings and tailor-made fabrics designed exclusively for the airline.

In-flight entertainment on board is state-of-the-art using the Thales mainframe Top Series Avant system with features such as an Android open platform with intuitive swipe functions and customised HD monitors of up to 26 inches in first class.

The airline currently operates a mixed fleet of the Airbus family of aircraft, a large contingent being the single-aisle A320s, and also a mixed range of A330s and A340s.

“Leading carrier Qatar Airways aims for the best, and we are proud our A380 is an essential ingredient in their strategy to show off their excellence and hospitality, connecting the world,” said Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier.

Qatar Airways is preparing to take delivery of four more A380s before the end of this year.

Originally published on www.themalaysianinsider.com