10 years on, the A380 has yet to fly high

Singapore

IF A WEEK is a long time in politics, 10 years must feel like an eternity for Airbus's A380 programme.

It was exactly 10 years ago this week when this reporter took off with some 400 other passengers, media and a couple of celebrity chefs on the first commercial flight on the giant plane. On board flight SQ380 from Changi to Sydney on Oct 25, 2007, was the then-CEO of Singapore Airlines Chew Choon Seng, senior officials, celebrity travellers from around the world and others given to wanderlust. There were even a couple of celebrity chefs on board to personally prepare the inflight meals.