Airbus 380 in South America
Airbus 380 in Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo, South America
On December 9, the great Airbus 380 took off from Ezeiza Airport -EZE Buenos Aires- to Sao Paulo, Brazil in its promotional flight.
In standard three-class configuration, the A380 can carry 555 passengers, although carriers like Virgin Atlantic said they would leave out some seats in favor of amenities like bars and gyms. Singapore Airlines is expected to be the first carrier to put the A380 into service. Other customers include Thai Airways, Qatar Airlines, Qantas, Emirates, Lufthansa, Korean Airlines, Air France, and Malaysia Airlines.
The A380 can carry 145 more passengers than the 747 and stands about 16 feet taller than its Boeing rival. It also requires a longer runway to land, meaning that airports around the world will have to be modified if they want to accommodate A380 service. London Heathrow, for instance, has already committed to lengthening its runways and is expected to be an early hub for the A380.