Aircraft

The Airbus A380 touched down in the United States for the first time yesterday (19 March).

At 12:10pm (Eastern) an A380 carrying approximately 500 persons landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport was the site of the first landing.

This aircraft is performing a 12-day route proving trip organised jointly with German carrier Lufthansa, and it arrived on a non-stop flight from Frankfurt, Germany.

Approximately 20 minutes later, another A380 made its debut at Los Angeles International Airport for airport compatibility and functional checks in cooperation with the facility's operator, Los Angeles World Airports, and Australia's Qantas Airways.

At both cities, the A380 arrivals brought out enthusiastic crowds and local VIPs. The A380's flight crew at New York waved an American flag after landing, while Los Angeles International Airport rolled out the red carpet for a welcome led by the city's mayor, Antonio Villaraigosa.

JFK pictures:

©Airbus

LAX pictures:

For more A380 pictures, please visit our Airbus A380 page