Singapore Airlines A380 services resume from Mumbai
- The world’s largest passenger aircraft touched down in Mumbai after a long break of 723 days, complete with the Airline’s redesigned First Class Suites
Passengers travelling to Singapore on the A380 inaugural flight SQ423, were welcomed back on board with chocolates and personalised cards, and boarding was commenced with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony officiated by Mark Wood, Manager Western India, Singapore Airlines; Chee Siong Goh, Station Manager, Singapore Airlines; and senior delegates from Mumbai International Airport.
Mr. Sy Yen Chen, General Manager India for Singapore Airlines said, “This is indeed a historic moment for SIA as we have been able to bring our iconic Airbus A380 back to Mumbai after a long absence of 723 days. Our A380 super jumbo has a loyal fan base in India. We are excited to be able to cater to the strong demand here and reaffirm our commitment to our customers in this key market.”
He further added, “SIA welcomes the Indian Government’s announcement regarding the resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services with effect from 27 March 2022. Not only are we hoping to progressively increase our frequencies from all our points across India in the weeks and months ahead, but we are also keen to resume A380 services from Delhi soon.”
The Singapore Airlines A380 is configured with 471 seats in four classes: six Suites and 78 Business Class seats on the upper deck, as well as 44 Premium Economy Class and 343 Economy Class seats on the main deck.
The six semi-private Suite cabins offer unparalleled privacy and luxury, complete with privacy doors, an independent swivel chair and a stand-alone bed with hotel-style evening turndown service. Four of the Suites can also be combined to form double Suites for couples travelling together. Suites passengers are offered a choice of Dom Perignon or Krug Champagnes, sleeper suits and premium amenities from Lalique, as well as meals served on fine linen and Wedgewood China.
The new Business Class seats can be combined to create fully lie-flat double beds, all forward-facing and with direct aisle access. All cabins also enjoy award-winning cuisine, extensive inflight entertainment, and the famous Singapore Airlines cabin crew service.
Speaking about the aircraft, Mr. Chen said, “We are confident that the A380, with its larger seat capacity, will be the preferred choice for our customers seeking comfortable and safe quarantine-free travel to Singapore from both Mumbai and Delhi. We look forward to welcoming our customers back on board the world’s largest passenger aircraft, where they can once again enjoy our world-class product and services.”
Singapore Airlines was the first airline worldwide to fly the A380 superjumbo in October 2007. In late 2017, following an extensive four-year development program, the Airline launched a multi-million-dollar cabin product upgrade for its A380 aircraft. The new cabin product made its debut in India on 1 September 2019.
SIA currently operates 52 weekly Vaccinated Travel Lane services from 8 cities across India, allowing customers to travel to Singapore quarantine-free.