New Airbus plane takes off at Paris Air Show

A350 above Toulouse France

The Airbus next-generation A350 plane took centre stage at the Paris Air Show on Wednesday, winning multi-billion-dollar deals ahead of a much-anticipated possible fly-over.

The news comes just days after the new plane took to the skies in its first ever test flight on Friday, stealing the limelight before the start of the air show -- a key event where Airbus and Boeing compete fiercely for plane orders.

The European plane maker is currently ahead of its arch-rival at the show -- $53.2 billion in new plane orders or agreements for Airbus versus $45.2 billion for Boeing.

Air France-KLM on Wednesday confirmed an order for 25 A350 planes -- which make extensive use of lighter composite materials to reduce fuel costs -- in a deal worth $7.2 billion at catalogue prices.

Read more: New Airbus plane takes off at Paris Air Show | Bangkok Post: news

European Aircraft Industry: Qantas' Airbus A380 first class looks like Starship Enterprise in Star Trek

A380

The first class cabin of Qantas's A380 super-jumbos looks astonishingly like the U.S.S. Enterprise in Star Trek - although you'll have to settle for earthly routes such as London to Sydney and Sydney to Los Angeles.

The interior, designed by Marc Newson includes LCD touch panels, leather seating, plants, sheepskin-covered full-length beds and more than 1,000 videos to choose from. 

'At first glance, this may look like the interior of the USS Enterprise, but it's actually the first class cabin on a Qantas A380, complete with personal suites and centre socializing area,' writes TechEBlog this week.

The central area is provided for flyers to stretch their legs and sit down for a drink.Each berth even has a dresser for storing clothes - naturally, pyjamas are provided. 

There are just 14 berths in the whole cabin. 

Flyers are provided with noise-cancelling headphones, and the touchscreen-controlled LCD panels in every berth give access to more than 1,000 different programmes.

Read more: Qantas' Airbus A380 first class looks like Starship Enterprise in Star Trek | Mail Online

European Aircraft Industry: EU to give green light to Airbus A380 wing repairs

A380

The European Aviation Safety Agency said on Monday it would give formal approval to repairs designed to eliminate potential wing cracks on the Airbus.

A draft directive means aircraft being retrofitted with newly designed wing components will no longer be subject to a special regime of checks, completing a vital step towards ending a 16-month trauma surrounding the world's largest jetliner.

From the first quarter of 2014, Airbus will deliver A380s incorporating modified wing designs, removing the need for retrofitting planes in service or on the production line.

Read more: EU to give green light to Airbus A380 wing repairs | Reuters

Britain: BA reveals Airbus A380 superjumbo flight plans

Airbus 380 and Alpha Jets

Travelers should have plenty of legroom when British Airways  becomes the first UK carrier to fly the world's biggest passenger plane.

BA is due to take delivery of the first of its Airbus A380 super-jumbos in July 2013 as part of a £5 billion, five-year programme of investments.

Today, the airline announced that its double-decker A380s will fly with 469 passengers - fewer than the number operated by some other super-jumbo airlines.

BA has ordered 12 of the A380s whose wings are made in the UK and which first entered service in 2007 with Singapore Airlines.

On BA's super-jumbos there will be 14 seats in first class on the main deck which will also have 44 club world (business class) seats as well as 199 seats in world traveller (economy).

Read more: BA reveals Airbus A380 superjumbo flight plans - News & Advice - Travel - The Independent

Aircraft Industry: Singapore Airlines places orders for 5 Airbus A-380s

Airbus A380

Singapore Airlines (SIA) today announced orders for five additional superjumbo Airbus A-380s  and another 20 A-350s for additional capacity growth and fleet renewal. It also announced stopping of non-stop flights on Singapore-Los Angeles and Singapore-Newark sectors, as it would remove from service five A-340-500s by next year-end.

Today's firm order commitments are valued at US Dollar 7.5 billion based on Airbus' published list prices. Deliveries are due to begin in 2017, an airline spokesperson said. SIA now operates 19 A380-800 superjumbos and has already placed firm orders for 20 A-350s for delivery from 2015. The latest A-350-900 variant, which has been selected for the 20 additional aircraft order, would be used on medium and long-haul routes, the spokesperson said.

"As part of the deal, Airbus has agreed to acquire SIA's five A340-500s, which will be removed from service in the fourth quarter of the 2013 calendar year, in line with the Airline's policy to maintain a young fleet. "This will result in the cessation of non-stop flights between Singapore and Los Angeles and between Singapore and Newark, in the absence of replacement aircraft in SIA fleet with sufficient range and operating economics," she said.

Read more: Singapore Airlines places orders for 5 Airbus A-380s - PTI

Sneak peek: Thai Airways Airbus A380 first & business class seats

Thai A380 Airbus

Thai Airways will take delivery of its first Airbus A380 this week, ahead of commercial flights commencing next month.

It's the first of six superjumbos for Thailand's national airline, with initial 'bedding-in' flights between Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore before the big birds move onto daily flights to Frankfurt, Tokyo and Paris.

Australian Business Traveller is jetting to Airbus HQ at Toulouse, France with Thai Airways to take part in the delivery flight, which is currently slated to leave Toulouse on Friday September 28, and we'll bring you a full photo-tour and review of the new seats and cabins across all three classes from tip to tail.

Read more: Sneak peek: Thai Airways Airbus A380 first & business class seats - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

European safety agency orders global check of A380 wings

Europe's air safety authority has ordered checks on the entire global fleet of Airbus A380 superjumbo jets for cracks on parts inside the wings — extending a previous order to check nearly a third of the planes.

The European Aviation Safety Agency last month issued an airworthiness directive calling for "a detailed visual inspection" of the aircraft's "wing rib feet" — the metal brackets that connect the wing's ribs to its skin.

That order applied to the 20 planes that have flown the most. Spokesman Dominique Fouda said the agency was extending the checks to the entire fleet of 68, used by seven airlines.

For more: European safety agency orders global check of A380 wings - latimes.com

Airline Industry: Houston Bush to Be First Texas Airport to See A380 Service

Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport will become the first airport in Texas to receive Airbus A380 scheduled service, when Lufthansa upgrades the aircraft type it uses to operate its daily Houston-Frankfurt flight.

Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) will be Lufthansa’s fourth A380 destination in the United States.

For more: Houston Bush to Be First Texas Airport to See A380 Service

Rolls-Royce says it made progress understanding cause of engine failure on Airbus 380

Rolls-Royce says it has made progress in understanding the cause of the engine failure that led Qantas to ground its fleet of Airbus A380s. "It is now clear this incident is specific to the Trent 900 engine," the firm said in a statement, referring to the model of engine in the Qantas A380s.

Rolls-Royce said a "series of checks and inspections" had been agreed with Airbus operators of the Trent 900 powered A380 and relevant authorities. "These are being progressively completed which is allowing a resumption of operation of aircraft in full compliance with all safety standards," the firm reported.

Rolls-Royce's statement follows the unexplained blast which sent parts of an engine raining down on an Indonesian island soon after flight QF32 took off from Singapore last week.

For more: Financial News | Orange UK