Airbus’ A380 landed Friday for the first time at Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport, the 120th airport to accommodate the super-jumbo jet.
“I’m pleased and proud to be in Tokyo-Haneda to welcome the A380 for the first time,” Rainer Brüderle, Germanys minister of Economics and Technology, said at the welcome ceremony, according to a news release. “I look forward to seeing the Airbus flagship aircraft becoming a regular visitor here in Haneda for the decades to come.”
The test A380 confirmed the readiness of Haneda’s new international terminal by performing various airport compatibility checks before flying on to Sapporo’s New Chitose airport.
Stephane Ginoux, chief executive officer of Airbus Japan, said: “It is an honor for us to be part of this historical event strengthening the role of Tokyo as a hub in Japan and as a key gateway to Asia. We believe the A380 will soon be flying in and out of Haneda and that it could also serve the world’s densest route, between Haneda and Chitose, in the future as well.”
Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France currently fly the A380 in and out of Tokyo’s most-distant Narita Airport.