This March, the travel industry will be changed forever as the A380 - the biggest passenger aeroplane ever built - takes off from London, en route to Singapore. The massive airliner, manufactured by Airbus, is a double-decker, four engine plane. Nicknamed the 'Super-jumbo', the plane allows for a cabin with 50% more floor space than the next biggest plane, the Boeing 747-400.
This will be the third A380 to join Singapore Airlines' fleet, which is already using the aircraft for its Singapore to Sydney route. The plane is causing much excitement in the travel industry due to its advanced engineering and new onboard facilities. The A380 produces 50% less cabin noise than a 747 making it the quietest airliner ever built, and the increased strength of the fuselage means it can withstand higher cabin air pressure. Both these features are expected to reduce the effects of travel fatigue on passengers. The A380 also delivers substantial fuel burn reductions per seat mile meaning it's a cleaner, greener alternative for long haul travel.
Every airline that has purchased an A380 is asserting their identity by designing unique interiors. Singapore Airlines offers twelve fully-enclosed first-class suites; these are private cabins which have been deemed "a class beyond first", on its A380, each with one full and one secondary seat, full-sized bed, desk, personal storage, and 58-cm (23-inch) LCD screen. Business class will offer 60 seats which can be transformed into full flat beds.
However the benefits of the A380 aren't limited to the upper class zones alone; the wider cabin allows for extra width (48cm compared to 43cm) of the 399 economy seats as well, plus there'll be 27cm LCD screens in each seatback and an AC power supply available to most passengers.
The new plane would certainly add an interesting novelty value for those travelling to Singapore, which continues to play a key role in international trade, and is a popular tourist destination. The beauty of Singapore as a holiday destination is its compact yet diverse nature, and intoxicating mix of urban chic and untouched nature. It is often said that shopping is a national sport in Singapore and with around two hundred malls and shopping zones all over the city, it's certainly something that both locals and visitors alike spend plenty of time doing.
However, despite its reputation as a pulsating and vibrant city, there is plenty for the outdoor enthusiast and nature lover, such as The Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, and Underwater World, which features a ray pool, coral reef exhibits and even a unique Fish Reflexology zone. Singapore is also ideally located for visitors to make visits to Malaysia, or nearby Bintan in Indonesia, a paradise island just 45 minutes by ferry from Singapore which offers peaceful beaches in beautiful settings; an ideal contrast to the bustle of Singapore central.
With the new A380 taking off from London soon, even more travellers will be expected to take Singapore holidays; visiting this small country offers a bewitching blend of East and West, an endless world of shopping, a great culinary excellence plus fascinating colonial history and outstanding natural beauty.
