Today (5 July), Portuguese ACMI specialist Hi Fly received its first Airbus A380, the world’s largest and most spacious airliner. The arrival is a major event for the airline, making it only the fourth European airline operating the model, the fourteenth global operator and the first leasing airline to fly the aircraft. The A380 was registered 9H-MIP in the name of the Maltese subsidiary of Hi Fly.
Singapore International Airlines (SIA) was the launch customer of the Airbus A380 mammoth aircraft. It is now starting to get rid of the first ones it purchased. Hi Fly saw the opportunity to acquire an A380 at a good price. It thus negotiated a deal to get MSN 3 and MSN 5 from SIA.
Hi Fly says the first Rolls-Royce Trent 900-powered aircraft will be operated “worldwide”, with a 471-seat configuration. This includes 399 seats on the main deck with 60 business-class and 12 first-class seats on the upper deck – the configuration used by Singapore Airlines.
It is not yet known where the aircraft will be based. However, Brussels Airport has a good chance to see them from time to time, as many Hi Fly aircraft stay at BRU on a regular basis.
Hi Fly released a drawing of the A380 with its future livery (notice the Maltese registration!):
