Five Things to Do Aboard the World's Largest Airliner

Passengers will board the double-deck Airbus A380 for its first commercial flight later this year. The giant airplane is capable of seating over eight hundred passengers, though most airlines will opt for a two or three-class configuration seating between five and six hundred. That leaves room for some previously unheard-of amenities. Soon, travelers will be able to:

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• Take a shower. If the prospect of feeling-and looking-fresh after a twelve-hour flight seems distant, consider taking an in-flight shower. While none of the airlines to use the A380 have officially announced plans to offer this perk, at least one-Emirates-has promised it. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates Chairman, said: "We will try to do everything we can to maximize passenger comfort for all classes aboard the A380, and that means showers and lounges." Emirates plans to begin flying the A380 in 2007.
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• Work out. One new feature being discussed by several airlines, and promised by at least one, is a mini-gym. These presents special challenges, however. Gym equipment is a heavy burden in an environment where every pound of luxury counts against the number of pounds of paying cargo. Still, chances are good we'll see a few flying fitness centers by the end of the decade.
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• Have a drink… in a bar. While imbibing in the air is nothing new, carriers will likely make some of the A380's ample space available for this purpose alone. Virgin Atlantic, which has already ordered six of the aircraft, already outfits its "Upper Class" sections on its existing 747 fleet with full bars. Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson has promised "large bars" aboard the Virgin A380s.
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• Gamble. Branson also promised casinos aboard the A380, offering blackjack and roulette to passengers traveling in all of the airline's three classes. Gambling aboard airliners has been proposed elsewhere: European carrier Ryanair plans to offer electronic gambling on its flights by 2007. But live-action casino games, when they appear on the A380, will be an airline first.
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• Go to bed. And take your traveling companion with you. Virgin again takes the lead in offering this high-end comfort. The trendy London-based airline has already outfitted a some of their 747s with double beds; the key feature of their much-desired (and rather expensive) "Upper Class Suite." Speaking to the press at Airbus's A380 reveal ceremony in Toulouse, France; the ever-boisterous Branson naughtily quipped of his proposed casinos and beds: there will soon be "two ways of getting lucky" aboard a Virgin jet.
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Singapore Airlines will making the A380's first commercial flight toward the end of 2006, and has thus far been quiet about their plans for outfitting the new planes. (Several of their competitors have ordered the A380 as well.) Emirates plans to be flying them by 2007, and Virgin Atlantic by 2008. Americans hoping to experience the A380 will have to travel abroad: of the sixteen carriers to order the aircraft to date, the only domestic two are FedEx and UPS.