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A380 debuts in South Asia The Airbus A380 superjumbo airliner made its first appearance in South Asia when it landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 1050 a.m. on May 6. Touching down after a ceremonial flypast, the world’s largest passenger aircraft was greeted with a spray of water from the airport’s service vehicles. Employees of DIAL, the airport management company, as well as Kingfisher Airlines, Airbus and other organizations were on hand to greet the airliner. The A380 flew direct from Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France. The two-day stop in New Delhi was the first on a test/marketing jaunt in South Asia for Airbus and Kingfisher Airlines – the airliner’s first customer in India. At present Indira Gandhi is one of the few airports in India capable of handling the huge aircraft. In 2008 the airport will open a new Code F runway that will enable it to host the A380 on a commercial basis. A Code F runway is also under construction at the sister airport in Hyderabad, and will likely be India’s first Code F runway when it opens early next year. Construction of Terminal 3, a new integrated passenger terminal, is also underway at Delhi, and will be commissioned in 2010. This terminal will cater to both international and domestic traffic. “With this terminal, DIAL will set a benchmark for airports across the world as it promises to cater to 90 percent or more passengers through Aerobridges,” the airport said in a statement. Terminal 3 will feature 55 contact stands for aircraft, six of them capable of handling the A380. |
