A couple of days ago, the new Airbus A380 took its maiden voyage. The giant plane, much bigger than Boeing's 747, is the newest plane in Singapore Airline's fleet.


A 747 holds 400 people, while the A380, in a regular configuration (row seating with a business class), can hold twice that many. Singapore Air opted for a bit more luxury, including a large business class section and 2 luxury suites.

Each suite, enclosed by sliding doors, is fitted with a leather upholstered seat, a table, a 23-inch flat screen TV, laptop connections and a range of office software. A separate bed folds up into the wall. Two of the suites can be joined to provide double beds.... On the upper deck, business class seats can turn into wide flat beds, while the economy class seats on both decks have more leg and knee room, the carrier says. Business class passengers also have a bar area.

I'm sure it will take quite a while for the A380 to become a common sight. The $320 million price tag means that airlines will have to have popular, high traffic routes to justify the expense. Still, though, it sounds like flying on a A380 would make a long haul quite a bit more comfortable.