World's largest plane coming to Bengaluru two weeks sooner

A380, the world's largest and most spacious passenger plane, will be touching down at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on Friday, October 14, more than two weeks earlier than previously announced.

Emirates Airlines' flight number EK562 will take off from the Dubai International Airport at 10 am (local time) on October 14 and land at the KIA at 3.40 pm (local time). On the way back, passengers aboard flight number EK563 will travel in an A380, leaving Bengaluru at 6.40 pm (local time) to reach Dubai at 9 pm (local time).

Authorities at the Bengaluru airport are gearing up for this historic maiden flight. "Our engineers and operations team are testing infrastructure and processes. We are waiting for the big day with bated breath," the airport operator said in a statement.

Emirates Airlines had earlier announced that the jumbo jet's first-ever flight into Bengaluru will take place on October 31. The maiden flight was to depart from Dubai at 9.25 pm local time on October 30 and land at Bengaluru at 2.30 am on October 31.

But the airline has changed its mind and is flying the big bird to Bengaluru more than two weeks earlier. Aviation enthusiasts are looking forward to this historic feat.

Bengaluru is only one of four airports in India that are A380-compatible. Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad are the other three. Bengaluru will be the third Indian city — after Delhi and Mumbai — to receive the jumbo jet.

A380 is a full-length double-decker plane with a seating capacity of more than 500. On the Bengaluru-Dubai route, the daily A380 flights will operate in a three-class configuration, offering seats in the economy, business and first classes.

A380 seats in the economy class will be wider with extra legroom. The business class will have fully flat seats while the first class will have private suites and shower spas, according to the airline.