Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Singapore Airlines to launch A380 flights to Paris

Singapore Airlines will further expand the growing global network of Airbus A380 services this year when it launches flights to Paris from Singapore using the superjumbo.

The airline will launch daily A380 flights to the French capital on June 1st, replacing the existing ten-times-weekly services using the 278-seat Boeing 777.

Offering 471 seats, the A380 will meet growing demand from both business and leisure passengers and contribute to economic development between France and the Asia-Pacific region, according to Singapore Airlines.

Paris will be the fourth destination in the carrier's A380 network, joining London, Sydney and Tokyo.

Huang Cheng Eng, Singapore Airlines' executive vice-president of marketing, said: "Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris is one of the busiest airports in Europe in terms of passenger traffic. The A380, with its large seating capacity, is well placed to fly there.

"With the aircraft's substantial fuel burn reductions per seat kilometre, it also provides a cleaner, greener alternative for long-haul travel."

Recent weeks have seen a number of developments in A380 operations around the world, with Qantas launching the plane's inaugural service linking London to Sydney and also becoming the first airline to fly the superjumbo to San Francisco.