Sarah Gale's Profile and details I am an aviation enthusiast and a freelance writer.

Singapore Airlines has set yet another milestone in the world of civil aviation, with the launch of the world’s first commercial Airbus A380 flights to Europe.

The Singapore Airlines A380, carrying 449 customers on board flight SQ308, took off from Singapore’s Changi Airport at 0900 hours today (18 March 2008). The flight will land in London’s Heathrow Airport at 1505 hours today (all times local).

The world’s largest passenger aircraft will then set off for the return flight from London – SQ319 – at 1855 hours and arrive in Singapore at 1535 hours on 19 March.

17 customers from nine different countries, who flew on the world’s first A380 commercial flight to Sydney in October 2007, join Singapore Airlines in setting this milestone. Eight of these customers also intend to fly straight back, flying both first flight sectors.

And one – Isabelle Chu, from Perth, Western Australia – also flew both ways on the first Singapore Airlines A340-500 non-stop flights from Singapore to Los Angeles, and Singapore to New York, in 2004 – the world’s longest non-stop flights.