Photo: Qantas A380 At LAX

Bagged the big one, a photo of a Qantas A380 coming in to land at LAX after a flight from Sydney:

It’s the largest passenger aircraft in the world, and Qantas has it configured to carry 450 people on two decks. Note the double row of windows.

I first saw an A380 nearly two years ago, when Airbus flew one of the prototypes to Bradley to show it to Pratt & Whitney employees who worked on the engines. My video from that flight is available here.

A380 Is Really, Really Big

The thing about the Airbus A380 that Qantas flies into LAX is that it’s so freaking big, reports the Los Angeles Times, although not in those words, exactly.

Actually, in these words, among others:

Service roads, taxiways and runways must be closed to airfield trucks, cars and other commercial aircraft as the world’s largest passenger plane — with wings almost as long as a football field — arrives, departs and taxis with an official escort of operations vehicles.

It’s not all that disruptive right now because traffic at LAX has dropped a great deal, but

… air traffic controllers and LAX officials caution that as airlines put more A380s into service, they could hamper airport operations and delay other commercial flights if improvements to runways, taxiways and terminals are not made in the next few years.

Oh, go ahead and read the whole story. And check out the great photo of an A380 dwarfing a couple of Alaska Airlines 737s. 

A380 Reportedly To Seat 840 Passengers

The Airbus A380s that are already flying belong to airlines that are trying to outdo each other with luxuries: private cabins, massage seats, even showers. In those configurations, the giant double-deckers seat roughly 500 to 600 passengers.

Now Airbus has announced its first order for A380s configured for a single class — think Southwest Airlines going all Incredible Hulk — from Air Austral, which flies between Paris and the island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean. (Thanks to Ben Mutzabaugh at USA Today’s blog Today in the Sky for wrapping it all up.) In that configuration, they will seat 840 people.

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Comparing Three Airlines’ A380s

You must check out this photo gallery from The Los Angeles Times comparing the configurations of the A380s now being flown by Qantas, Emirates and Singapore airlines.

Singapore has the fully enclosed first-class cabins. Qantas has massage seats. But Emirates — it has showers.

Reminds me of a line from the movie “Jerry Maguire:” ” First class … It used to be a better meal. Now it’s a better life.” Which was prophetic, considering that movie came out in 1996.

The A380: You Should Be So Lucky

The world’s largest passenger aircraft, fully pimped out in ultraluxury by Emirates airlines, is scheduled to land today in New York.

What are your chances of ever riding in one of these giant Airbus A380s? Not so good, explains The Courant’s Eric Gershon.

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Gambling In The Skies

Airbus says it has some potential customers interested in turning the massive A380 superjumbo jet into a flying casino. The casino jets could be ready by 2012. The customers haven’t been identified.

Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Sands Corp., has revealed plans to trick out two L-1011 jets with baccarat tables. The jets would carry high rollers from Hong Kong to the two Sands casino resorts on the Las Vegas Strip – the Venetian and the brand-new Palazzo.

The L-1011 is my all-time favorite aircraft, a triple-engine wide-body with a nice ride. (I’m partial to big metal.) The last L-1011 was manufactured 25 years ago, and only 250 were ever built. There aren’t a whole lot of them in the air any more, although ATA flies a couple on charters.

Of course I hardly qualify as a high roller, so it’s unlikely I’m going to get to fly on the Sands’ L-1011s.  That’s OK. I don’t know how to play baccarat, anyway.

Airline Bans Sex On A380

So, wait, Singapore  Airlines pimped its brand-new A380 double-decker out with cabins with double beds and then forebade the passengers to join the mile-high club? I just don’t see that working out.

The A380 Has Landed – With Passengers

The A380 has completed its maiden flight, from Singapore to Australia. That’s the first commercial flight with passengers. I want to remind everyone that we saw one three weeks ago in Connecticut.

Of course, when we saw it, there weren’t any seats inside. So if you’ve been dying to have a look at the Singapore Airlines A380 that took that maiden flight, the LiveNews site in Australia has a fun video and some photos.

A380: God’s Airplane

The Singapore Airlines pilot who flew the first A380 in commercial operation was quoted in a French newspaper calling the suberjumbo "God’s creation."

I’m still operating on the assumption that it was manufactured by Airbus.

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More A380 At Bradley

I posted a clip this morning of the A380 landing at Bradley but I got wrapped up in other things (stupid real job!) before I could post more about it. It was quite a thrill to see that whacking huge jet coming in to land.

My buddy Tom Twitchell and I hung out a bit with the plane spotters, and I did a little video about the experience on my trusty little Canon Powershot:

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