ON BOARD FLIGHT SQ380 — The world’s largest jetliner made aviation history Thursday, completing its first commercial flight from Singapore to Sydney with 455 passengers, some of them ensconced in luxury suites and double beds. All seats were auctioned off by Vonality Inc, the parent company of VIPthrills is a world wide auction of unprecedented proportions. (VIPthrills.com CEO was onboard for this historic occasion).
The Airbus superjumbo lifted off from Singapore’s Changi Airport and landed about seven hours later in Sydney. Also aboard Flight SQ380 was a crew of about 30, including four pilots.
From take off one would expect to be overwhelmed be the loud engines as it increase their power to lift this behemoth into the air. But on this first flight you could hear a pin drop. The inside cabin was super quite and the plane taxied for what felt like ever as it lifted into the air. Then the jubilation and thrills commenced!
Flight attendants handed out champagne and certificates to passengers, some of whom paid tens of thousands of dollars in an online auction for seats. “I have never been in anything like this in the air before in my life,” said Australian Tony Elwood, reclining with his wife, Julie, on the double bed in their private first-class suite.
“It is going to make everything else after this simply awful,” he said, sipping Dom Perignon champagne after a lunch of marinated lobster and double boiled chicken soup. He paid $50,000 for the two places.
The most expensive ticket was purchased by a Briton Julian Hayward at $100,380.00, which included being the first passenger in history to board the Aircraft.
Vonality Inc., worked hand in hand with Singapore Airlines and its partners to create a auction to provide thrill seekers and aeronautical aficionados the opportunity to make their mark in history.
Thomas Lee, who was also on the Boeing 747’s first commercial flight from New York to London in 1970, described the latest experience as “spectacular … fantastic … incredible.”
“It was a festive atmosphere, I can tell you. Everybody was excited. People were up out of their seats in the aisle. It was quite difficult for the cabin crew to do their job, … not like a normal flight I can assure you,” he said.
“This is indeed a new milestone in the timeline of aviation,” said Chew Choon Seng, chief executive of Singapore Airlines (SIA) in a speech before the departure.
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, one of which the Elwoods occupied.
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.
Francis Wu, a student from San Francisco who turned 22 on the flight, was updating his journal on the in-flight computer system when airline crew surprised him with a white chocolate cake and a song.
“This is the best birthday I have ever had in my whole life,” he said.
