A380 era begins for BA

British Airways is gearing up for the arrival tomorrow of the first Airbus A380 to fly into a UK airport on passenger service. British Airways engineers will handle maintenance of the Singapore Airlines double-decker at Heathrow, while BA flight crew begin preparations for delivery of the airline's own fleet of 12 A380s from April 2012.

Captain Jim Harlow has become the first UK airline pilot to qualify to fly the A380. He has flown for BA for 11 years and currently holds a command in BA's A320 fleet at Heathrow.

He was selected to take part in a special A380 transition training course, designed by Airbus and certified by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Captain Harlow, aged 33, said: "It was a fantastic opportunity to fly the largest passenger aircraft in the world and train alongside Airbus's own pilots.

"The aircraft is remarkable. Despite its size, its sophisticated flight control computers make it incredibly light and responsive to fly."

Captain Harlow's knowledge will play an invaluable role in the airline's planning of A380 crew training. British Airways will be the first UK airline to operate the aircraft and will have the largest Heathrow-based A380 fleet. By 2014, approximately 200 BA pilots will be allocated to A380s.

The airline will shortly be inviting tenders for the design of the cabin interiors.

Robert Boyle, British Airways' commercial director, said: "Just as Terminal 5 enables us to improve the customer experience on the ground, the A380 will give us the opportunity to raise standards in all cabins. We see the A380 as a catalyst for change, and our goal will be to offer the very best of onboard hospitality and overall journey experience."

The airline has also won the contract to provide maintenance for Singapore Airlines' A380s at Heathrow.

BA's Customer Engineering Group will carry out all the maintenance required for the aircraft, ranging from simple tyre changes to full engine changes if necessary.

The arrival of the A380 at Heathrow will bring significant environmental benefits.

The aircraft is much quieter than its predecessors and under the Heathrow noise classification system is rated as producing only a quarter of the noise level of the Boeing 747-400.

For residents near the airport, the A380's quietness may be particularly appreciated in the early morning. British Airways is considering using the aircraft for flights from destinations such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Johannesburg, which are among the first arrivals of the day.

The A380 also produces 17 per cent fewer carbon dioxide emissions and 10 per cent fewer NOx emissions, which affect local air quality, than the Boeing 747-400.