New Delhi:
In a landmark of sorts, the first commercial flight of the world's largest passenger aircraft, the A380, has landed at the new Terminal 3 at Delhi's Indira Gandhi Airport.
The Emirates A380 Super Jumbo EK516 from Dubai to Delhi arrived at Terminal 3 at about 4 pm, after an hour's delay due to bad weather. The aircraft will be at the IGI Airport for a few hours before it returns to Dubai.
The new Terminal 3, which received its first flight in only yesterday, is India's only airport terminal capable of receiving A380 flights.
The A380 revolutionizes travel. It is a two-deck aircraft, with the first floor covering the entire length of the aircraft. There is plenty of space for all classes. The 517-seat Emirates aircraft offers 14 flat-bed First Class Private Suites with electrically operated doors, 76 fully-flat seats in Business Class. (
Watch: NDTV on first commercial A380 flight)
What A380 offers
- A380 revolutionizes travel
- It's a two-deck aircraft
- First floor covers entire length of aircraft
- Plenty of space - cabin comfort - for all classes
- Shower in first class, but timer goes off
- Bar is fancy - available to business and first class passengers
There is a shower in first class, though as NDTV discovered, the timer goes off. There is a fancy bar for business and first class passengers.(
See: Inside A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft)
A personal satellite phone is fitted to each seat on the A380 aircraft, which also carries a seat-back SMS and email service, along with seat to seat calling and a "My USB" personal picture viewing facility.
New Delhi's Terminal 3 became operational on Wednesday evening as an Air India Boeing from New York via Washington became the first aircraft to dock at one of the 78 aerobridges of the glass-and-steel terminal. (
In pics: Air India flight from New York first in at T3)
The flight was given a salute with jet of water being sprayed from cannons from both its side as it taxied on the bay to dock at T3. The passengers were given a warm welcome on arrival by officials Air India and Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL).
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had inaugurated the terminal on July 3. Terminal 3, or T3 as the new airport building is called, is the fifth largest airport terminal in the world.
The spanking new world-class Rs 9,000-crore T3 will integrate domestic and international operations and is expected to handle 34 million passengers every year.