Late April tipped for first Heathrow A380 arrival
David Kaminski-Morrow, London (23Feb06, 10:51 GMT, 261 words)
London Heathrow Airport has indicated that the Airbus A380 could arrive for the first time at the UK hub at the end of April, but airport operator BAA is insisting that no date has been fixed.
The airport’s visitor centre says that it has been informed that the A380 will arrive on 29-30 April but is unable to give details on activity plans for the jet.
But BAA says that it has not finalised a date for the aircraft’s arrival and a spokeswoman for the operator even adds that the company “wouldn’t want” the aircraft on these dates because it coincides with a busy UK holiday period.
Airbus states that any date would be determined by the demands of the A380 flight-test programme.
“This would be subject to change,” says an Airbus spokesman. Given the need for flexibility in the flight tests, he says, the company would have “serious doubts” that a provisional schedule fixed two months in advance would remain unaffected.
Virgin Atlantic, the only UK customer for the A380, says that it is unaware of a date for the A380’s first arrival into Heathrow. The carrier has postponed development of an A380 hangar at the airport following the deferral of delivery dates for the type.
Modifications at London Heathrow to accommodate the A380 include the construction of a four-gate contact pier at Terminal 3. Terminal 4 will also have A380 stands and the new Terminal 5 will include A380 gates when it opens in 2008.
Airbus has already carried out airport compatibility trials for the A380 at Frankfurt Main.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
Dragging on too much now.
Sign In
