Singapore Airlines A380 9V-SKB arrives at New Delhi IGI airport on first scheduled commercial A380 service to India.
Singapore Airlines A380 9V-SKB arrives at New Delhi IGI airport on first scheduled commercial A380 service to India. Photo courtesy DIAL.

Photos: Singapore Airlines A380 receives water cannon salute at Delhi

Hats off to the team at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi airport who recovered from a violent storm barely three hours before the first scheduled commercial A380 service to India landed.

The airport become the first in the country to receive the the world’s largest passenger aircraft, the A380. The second A380 ever delivered, Singapore Airlines’ 9V-SKB touched down on runway 11, as flight SQ406 from Singapore Changi airport at 20:25 (14:55 UTC), 20 minutes behind schedule, thanks to the air traffic disruptions the storm caused.

The aircraft capable of carrying 471 passengers had 353 passengers on board with a crew of 25 (2+23) on this historic first flight. The aircraft was greeted with the traditional water cannon salute by the airport fire fighting team, a customary welcome accorded to every first flight.

Singapore Airlines A380 9V-SKB being given traditional water cannon salute as it arrives at New Delhi IGI airport staring scheduled commercial A380 service to India.
Singapore Airlines A380 9V-SKB being given traditional water cannon salute as it arrives at New Delhi IGI airport staring scheduled commercial A380 service to India. Photo courtesy DIAL.

About Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

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2 comments

  1. Narayan gopalan

    Do they have a Code F bridge at IGIA to handle the 380 or does it dock on a twin-arm bridge?

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