Tokyo Haneda and Sapporo New Chitose welcome the A380
The world’s most modern and environmentally friendly aircraft, the Airbus A380, received a warm welcome when an Airbus A380 test aircraft landed for the first time at Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, making it the 120th airport visited to date. During the visit, the aircraft confirmed day-one readiness of Haneda’s new international terminal by performing various airport compatibility checks.
"I’m pleased and proud to be in Tokyo-Haneda to welcome the A380 for the first time. I look forward to seeing the Airbus flagship aircraft becoming a regular visitor here in Haneda for the decades to come,” said Rainer Brüderle, German Minister of Economics and Technology, at the welcome ceremony.
After Haneda, the A380 will fly North to Sapporo’s New Chitose airport, Hokkaido. This visit underlines the benefits for airports, airlines and passengers alike to operate and fly the largest and most eco-efficient airliner on domestic, regional or international routes.
“We are very pleased to have brought the A380 to Haneda for the inauguration of its new international terminal. It is an honor for us to be part of this historical event strengthening the role of Tokyo as a hub in Japan and as a key gateway to Asia. We believe the A380 will soon be flying in and out of Haneda and that it could also serve the world's densest route, between Haneda and Chitose, in the future as well,” said Stephane Ginoux, CEO of Airbus Japan.
“The smartest way to address airport congestion and simultaneously meet growing passenger demand is to operate a larger, greener, cleaner, quieter and more eco-efficient aircraft. Haneda International Airport as well as the A380 are set to bring these new standards to air travel, be it international or domestic operations. The A380 is part of the solution Japanese air transport needs to achieve sustainable growth, as already demonstrated by the three operators flying the aircraft to Japan today,” added Gerald Weber, Airbus Executive Vice President Operations.
The Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft, is the quietest and most fuel efficient means of commercial air travel, demonstrably consuming less than three litres per passenger and 100 kilometres. Some seven million passengers have already enjoyed the new experience of flying on-board one of the 37 A380s already in service, taking them at present to a network of 20 major international destinations worldwide in unprecedented levels of comfort.
With a range of 8 300 nm / 15 400 km, and seating from 400 to more than 800 passengers, the A380 is the answer to alleviate traffic congestion at busy airports, cope with growth and minimise environmental impact. A380 firm orders stand today at 234 from 17 customers.
Today, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air France operate the aircraft to Narita Airport.
Source: AIRBUS
