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PRZOOM - /newswire/ -
Singapore, Singapore, 2007/08/24 - Airbus and Singapore Airlines have agreed to a delivery timetable for the first A380 aircraft. The aircraft is planned for handover by Airbus to Singapore Airlines on Monday 15 October at a ceremony in Toulouse, France.
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It will be configured with 471 seats in three classes: Economy, Business and the new Singapore Airlines Suites: a class beyond First.
Within a few days of delivery, the aircraft will fly to Singapore's Changi Airport: the world's first A380 home airport. There will be a short period set aside for crew and ground staff familiarisation.
World aviation history will be made when the Singapore Airlines A380 makes its First Flight - SQ380 - to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport on Thursday 25 October, and returns to Singapore on Friday 26 October.
Singapore Airlines Chief Executive Officer, Mr Chew Choon Seng, said the delivery would mark the beginning of a new chapter for the aviation industry.
"Everyone at Singapore Airlines is keenly anticipating the delivery of this new plane, and our people are working hard on final preparation for its entry into service. The first flight promises to be one of the most exciting occasions in aviation history.
"We are overwhelmed by the support of the community - from all over the world - for the charity auction. And I would like to thank the many partners and service providers that have followed the lead of our fuel supplier, ExxonMobil, and eBay, in donating their services for the First Flight's charitable causes.
"While occasions like this are few and far between, we hope this enthusiasm generates support for very worthwhile causes," Mr Chew said.
Seats across all three classes will be auctioned on the global online marketplace, eBay. There will be plenty of seats put to auction, allowing many opportunities for travelers keen to be part of history to join the First Flight experience.
For the new Singapore Airlines Suites, the A380's First Flight will be the first ever occasion to fly on what will be a product that totally redefines luxury in the sky.
Entry into scheduled service will commence on the Sydney route soon after the First Flight. A further announcement will be made on this in due course.
Charity Auction Starts 27 August
The auction of seats on the First Flight will commence on Monday 27 August 2007. Seats in all three classes will be sold progressively, across both legs of the flight. Bids will be staggered to finish at various times over a period of just over two weeks, with the auction cycle being completed on 10 September 2007.
The auction will be for single, double and multiple seats in each class.
All seats will be sold on a one-way basis, so people wanting to fly on both legs of the First Flight will need to bid twice.
To participate in the auction, a bidder will need the following:
• An eBay® user ID... it's free and easy to get
• The names and passport numbers of those travelling
• For bids on packages in the premium classes (Business & Suites), or bids over USD1,000 in Economy Class, pre-qualification will be required. This ensures bids are not artificially inflated, and gives bidders confidence they are bidding only against genuine and pre-qualified bidders
Prequalification is initiated online. Singapore Airlines' global auction management agency, Auctionwire, has developed numerous ways for bidders to pre-qualify and lodge security deposits for bids requiring pre-qualification.
All information on packages available, bid prequalification and how to get an eBay® user ID is available on the Singapore Airlines website. A summary is attached to this news release.
100% of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to charities. They are:
• One-third to Singapore's Community Chest
• One-third split between the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in Sydney
• One-third to Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders
Source: Singapore Airlines
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Public_Affairs[.]singaporeair.com.sg 
