Airbus A380 to visit Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane

The world's largest passenger aircraft, the Airbus A380, is to visit Australia in November 2005. On the tour the A380 Super Jumbo will visit Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Qantas will take delivery of the first of its 12 aircraft in April 2007.

The first A380, MSN-001, which has been involved in Airbus's A380 flight test program, will arrive in Australia in the lead up to Qantas' birthday on 16 November.

A firm timetable for the A380's visit to Australia is being finalised with Airbus.

"Airbus representatives were in Australia last week to meet with Qantas, CASA and airport operators in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to discuss the considerable logistical effort that will be involved in the A380's visit," the Chief Executive Officer of Qantas, Mr Geoff Dixon said.

"We expect high levels of interest in the aircraft while it is in Australia and Qantas is very excited that it is behind the A380's first flight outside Europe."

Mr Dixon said Qantas would mark its 85th birthday with a special dinner for 600 guests in its new aircraft maintenance hangar at Brisbane Airport on 15 November.

He said Qantas Ambassador John Travolta would be a special guest at the dinner, along with his now famous ex-Qantas Boeing 707, painted in its original Qantas branding and livery from the 1960s.

"John will be spending a week with Qantas in Australia, visiting Qantas staff and industry partners at various locations, as well as getting back into the simulator for some additional 747-400 training," Mr Dixon said.

The airline will also publish a commemorative book to mark the occasion.

Papers formally establishing Qantas were signed at a hotel in Brisbane on 16 November 1920.

See also: Airbus A380 to visit Cities in Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East

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