TBM Staff - Mumbai Singapore Airlines (SIA) has resumed services of Airbus 380 Superjumbo from Mumbai. The superjumbo aircraft landed in Mumbai at 21:20 hours on Monday, March 14, 2022, after a two-year break in services, the airline said.
SIA said that the A380 replaced the Airbus A350-900 on the SQ 424/423 Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) services between Mumbai and Singapore. The international carrier said that all passengers travelling to Singapore on the A380 inaugural flight SQ 423 were welcomed back on board with chocolates and personalised cards. The boarding was commenced with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony, it said.
SIA’s A380 features 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.
Sy Yen Chen, General Manager India, SIA 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 superjumbo 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.”
Chen added SIA hoping to progressively increase its frequencies from all its points across India in the weeks and months ahead and are also keen to resume A380 services from Delhi soon.
The six semi-private suite cabins offer 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. Suite 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 airline said in a statement.
The 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 cabin crew service.
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.”
SIA was the first global carrier to fly the A380 superjumbo in October 2007. In 2017, following an extensive four-year development program, the airline launched a multi-million-dollar cabin product upgrade for its A380. The new cabin made its debut in India on September 1, 2019.
