The Singapore Airlines A380 enters commercial service today, with its first flight  SQ380 from Singapore, to Sydney, Australia - The brand new A380 super-jumbo will depart Singapore's Changi Airport at 0800hrs and is expected at Sydney International Airport at 1725hrs to a grand welcome ceremony, after a flight of almost seven and a half hours.

The majority of the seats on the two legs of this flight were sold on eBay, the global online marketplace, with all proceeds supporting charities.

On board today's flight are many of the successful bidders, as well as representatives of the world media. Some interesting facts:

The youngest customer is a 10 month old boy from Singapore. 

The oldest is a 91 year old man, also from Singapore, traveling with his family - his son bought the Singapore Airlines Suites ticket for him in the charity auction;

Mr. Julian Hayward bought the First Suite on the flight, paying US $100,380 for him and a friend to travel from Singapore to Sydney;

Included among passengers is Mr. Thomas Lee, from California, who was a passenger on the world's first Boeing 747 commercial flight between New York and London in 1970.

Also traveling is Ms. Isabelle Chu, a Perth travel agent, who is flying in both directions.  Ms. Chu flew in both directions on the first Singapore Airlines A340-500 flights between Singapore and Los Angeles, and Singapore and New York, non-stop in 2004, with just enough time to shower between flights.  This time, she will enjoy an overnight stopover in Sydney.

Passengers come from 35 different nationalities, with the largest group being Australians (28%), then Singaporeans (11%), then Britons (11%) and Americans (8%).  Those who have come from furthest away are 4 Norwegians.

Customers across all classes will enjoy a specially-created Champagne Brunch on today's flight, featuring special culinary creations from two of Singapore Airlines' International Culinary Panel of Chefs - Sam Leong, from Singapore's Tung Lok Group, and Matthew Moran, from Sydney's Aria Restaurant. The two chefs will fly on board the aircraft and supervise the preparation and service of meals in all cabins.

Singapore Airlines Suites customers will enjoy some of the world's finest wines, starting with Dom Perignon Rose 1996(i), then some of the finest red wines of the last century: Chateau Cos D'Estornel 1982, Chateau Pichon- Longueville Comtesse De Lalande 1982, and Australia's Penfolds Grange Hermitage Shiraz 1990.

Tomorrow, SQ380 will fly the return leg of this trip, from Sydney back to Singapore, departing at 1600hrs and arriving at 2215hrs.

The auction raised around US $1.9 million, all of which will be split three ways, between Singapore and Sydney charities, and a global humanitarian organization:

One third to Singapore's Community Chest
One third between the Sydney Children's Hospital, Randwick, and The
Children's Hospital at Westmead, both in Sydney
One third to Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders

Checks will be presented to the beneficiary organizations during events in Singapore and Sydney.

Singapore Airlines took delivery of the world's first A380 on 15 October 2007, at the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse.

The Airline's three-class A380 features a brand new cabin class - the Singapore Airlines Suites, a class beyond first. Together with Business and Economy Class seats, the Singapore Airlines A380 has a seating capacity of 471.

The A380 will commence scheduled service between Singapore and Sydney on one of the three daily flights in each direction on Sunday, October 28, 2007.

The delivery of subsequent aircraft will allow for the introduction of the A380, also on one of the three daily flights between Singapore and London's Heathrow Airport from the first quarter of 2008.