A380 approved for flights through Gatwick

News at Gatwick 25/10/2010

Gatwick fixes dodgy check-in scales : October 2010 : Hammond: no runway expansion for key London airports

Following upgrades, Gatwick can now support flights by the massive superjumbo.

London’s Gatwick airport has received approval to accept flights by the massive Airbus A380 superjumbo airlines. The airport has spent £43 million to expand and improve the facilities at Gatwick so that it can meet the requirements of the huge new airliner.

The massive Airbus A380 is the largest jet airliner ever put into production and is the first fully double-decked passenger aircraft. Depending on the model, the A380 can have seating for up to 550 passengers. It had its first commercial flight in 2007 with Singapore Airlines.

UK carriers British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will be relieved that Gatwick can now finally handle the immense aircraft. Until now, Heathrow and Manchester airports were the only airports in the UK that could accommodate the jet.

Stewart Wingate, CEO of Gatwick airport, said the Airbus A380 represents the future of long-haul air travel. He said the A380 is the most modern and fuel-efficient of all comparable commercial airliners. He added that Gatwick aims to be at the centre of the new era in flight ushered in by the A380.

The arrival of the Airbus A380 at Gatwick airport will come at good time for the airport, which has seen a recent boost in long-haul passenger numbers. Despite the number of passengers through Gatwick overall dropping by 2.6 per cent, the number of long-haul travellers is up by more than 7 per cent, year-on-year.

Gatwick fixes dodgy check-in scales : October 2010 : Hammond: no runway expansion for key London airports

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