prince william and queen: Height of luxury: The super-jumbo brings the stuff that dreams are made of to the UK

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:19 AM on 2nd September 2010

The red carpet was rolled out today as the largest - and most luxurious - aircraft in the world spread its wings in the UK.

As it taxied to a standstill at Manchester Airport, the doors opened to reveal the Airbus A380 super-jumbo's state-of-the-art opulence that all but the wealthiest passengers can only dream about.

There's the champagne bar on the upper level to wile away those long-haul hours, and the first class capsules brim with gizmos, not forgetting the fine dining and silver service. And even the toilet facilities are something out of the ordinary.

The Emirates Airbus A380 leaves Manchester for the first time, bound for Dubai, watched an enthusiastic crowd

A little lower down the scale, the business class cabin is still luxurious, and expensive, while those who have to rough it in economy may be pleasantly surprised by the spacious environment that this massive aircraft provides.

Emirates flew the 500-seat aircraft into Manchester at the start of its daily service with Dubai, watched by an enthusiastic crowd who had turned out to watch it glide over the rooftops on its approach to the airport.

After all, this was the very first time the super-jumbo had touched down anywhere other than at London's Heathrow Airport, from where she started operating two years ago.

A fist class seat, set for lunch, on the upper deck of the A380

A fist class seat, set for lunch, on the upper deck of the Emirates A380

A stewardess behind the bar on the upper deck of an Emirates Airbus A380

A stewardess behind the champagne bar on the upper deck of an Emirates Airbus A380

Ian Godden, chairman of aerospace, defence and security trade organisation ADS, said: 'The UK aerospace sector is number one in Europe and second only to the US globally. The Airbus A380 is an embodiment of this success.

'Up to half of the aircraft is made in Britain, with major contributions from many world-leading British-based companies of all sizes.'

The huge, double-decker A380 went into passenger service with Singapore Airlines in October 2007, with Singapore starting Heathrow flights in March 2008.

Flat screen TV, comfy earphones, bedside clock and rose petals on the bed.They're just a few of the luxuries you get with a first class ticket

If you want to freshen up, then the upper level shower room is just the place to do it

It was originally known as the Airbus A3XX during much of its development phase, but the nickname Super-jumbo has since become associated with it.

The A380's upper deck extends along the entire length of the fuselage, and its width is equivalent to that of a widebody aircraft. This allows for an A380-800's cabin with 5,146 sq ft of floor space - 49 per cent more than the next-largest airliner, the Boeing 747-400.

It provides seating for 525 people in a typical three-class configuration or up to 853 people in all economy-class configurations.

British Airways has ordered 12 super-jumbos with the first arriving in 2013, while Virgin Atlantic will receive the first of its six A380s the same year.