First A380 enters commercial service

October 17, 2007 It was a milestone in aviation history: the first Airbus A380 landed at Singapore's Changi International Airport at 6:40 p.m. (GMT+8) after a 12-hour flight from Airbus' Delivery Center. The aircraft was greeted by some 400 guests, including the Prime Minister of Singapore, Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, at the soon-to-open Terminal 3 of Changi International Airport.

In his speech, the Prime Minister applauded Singapore Airlines (SIA) - the recipient carrier - and cited its success as a source of pride for all Singaporeans. He also said that the landing was a milestone not only for SIA, but also for Changi International Airport, the country's main airport. All existing terminals are currently A380-ready, and the SGD1.75-billion Terminal 3 will open its doors in January next year.

The A380 will make a special charity flight on October 25 from Singapore to Sydney and will begin regular service on the Singapore-Sydney route on October 28.