Airbus A380 Completes 1st Atlantic Crossing

2009-11-21 20:27:41 CRIENGLISH.com/Agencies Web Editor: Zhang Zhang

Air France Airbus A380 Touches Down at JFK.The Air France Airbus A380 lands at JKF Airport, ending his maiden voyage from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, in New York City, NY, USA on November 20, 2009. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/CFP]

The world's largest airliner, an Air France A380, touched down in New York on Friday to complete the superjumbo jet's first Atlantic crossing from Europe to the United States.

The Airbus plane, carrying 538 passengers, left Paris earlier in the day and landed at 1:07 pm (1807 GMT) at J.F. Kennedy Airport, several minutes ahead of schedule, AFP reported.

Two fire engines met the plane with a watery salute from their hosepipes as it taxied to its gate.

Air France is the first European airline to put the giant aircraft into service, but the fourth worldwide after Singapore Airlines, Gulf-based Emirates and Qantas of Australia.

Air France will launch regular A380 flights across the Atlantic on November 23. The fleet of 12 huge planes will also serve Johannesburg, starting in February, and then Tokyo.

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