China Southern takes first A380

China Southern is the latest airline (and the first Chinese airline) to take delivery of its first A380, with the aircraft handed over in Toulouse last Friday.

The first of five aircraft ordered was handed over by Airbus President and CEO, Tom Ender,s to China Southern Airlines Chairman, Si Xianmin.

China Southern Airlines becomes the seventh operator of the big Airbus globally.

The aircraft will initially be operated on domestic routes between the major Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Later on, the airline will deploy the A380 on international routes.

China Southern has its A380 configured with 506 seats.with eight first-class suites, 70 lie-flat business-class seats and 428 economy-class seats.