Restaurant A380: Singapore Airlines opens superjumbo for diners

For those who prefer their food 'plane'

Business Class Dining. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

Business Class Dining. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

The Singapore Airlines A380 Suites. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

The inflight entertainment if you need a rest after the food. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

A Singapore Airlines A380 aircraft. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

A lobster thermidor meal. Courtesy of Singapore Airlines

You may have heard of pleasure flights to nowhere and old aircraft being converted into hotels, but what about an Airbus A380 being turned into a restaurant?

Singapore Airlines has struck upon the idea, which is sure to provide a feast of entertainment for aviation enthusiasts.

The airline will open one of its superjumbos for two days – on October 24 and 25 – at Changi Airport for what it calls a "memorable dining experience".

It said diners will be able to choose their cabin class before savouring "signature international dishes" or the "best dishes from our Peranakan menu, designed by acclaimed Singaporean chef Shermay Lee".

A Singapore Airlines A380. The airline is inviting guests on board to eat rather than fly. Courtesy Singapore Airlines

The cost of the meals is yet to be confirmed, though there are six different packages. For instance, the all-inclusive first-class option includes premium vintage drinks, a first-class meal for two, a 22-piece tableware set with Wedgwood dining ware and Lalique crystalware, and Lalique amenities for two, including sleeper suits.

To work up an appetite, diners can also sign up to a tour of the "restaurant", with a behind-the-scenes look at areas that are usually private when the plane is being used for transport.

And, if the conversation runs dry, visitors can tune in to the in-flight entertainment and sit back and relax with a film.

The airline said that as part of its heritage showcase of cabin crew uniforms through the years, guests can receive a special gift by dressing up in their own traditional heritage wear, such as a sarong kebaya, cheongsam, saree, batik shirt or even kilt.

The carrier is also offering a service whereby a private chef will deliver, reheat, plate and serve customers in their homes.

A380 is on its way out

The last A380 fuselage was pictured rolling off the assembly line last week at Airbus's manufacturing station in France.

Having built the A380 at the plant in Toulouse for 15 years, production is coming to a halt with the final jet headed for Emirates.

Airbus announced the end of the line for the A380 last year, saying it would stop production by 2021, although the coronavirus pandemic has brought the end forward slightly as airlines around the world grapple with a lack of demand.

Airbus will stop production of its A380 superjet by 2021 Reuters

People look at a Emirates A380 airbus landing in Nice, south of France. AFP

Sheikh Mohammed takes a tour of an Emirates A380 during the opening ceremony of the Dubai Airshow in 2013. AFP

A visitor poses for a photo in front of an Emirates A380 Airbus passenger aircraft decorated with a giant portrait of UAE founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan. AFP

Airbus and Emirates celebrate the 100th A380 in 2018. Courtesy Emirates

The A380 is the World biggest passenger jet . AP

Emirates will receive 14 more A380s from Airbus before the plane maker ends production. Courtesy Emirates

Airbus said Thursday it will stop making A380 superjumbo jets in 2021 after struggling to win clients. AP Photo

Interior of Business Class on an Emirates A380. Courtesy: Emirates

Interior of Business Class on Emirates A380. Courtsey: Emirates

An air stewardess arranges bedsheets of a double bed in a suite of Singapore Airlines' new Airbus A380 during a tour of the plane at Changi Airport in Singapore. AFP

An Airbus A380, the largest passenger jet in the world, in Dubai. The airline topped a list of attractive employers in a recent survey of Gen Y and Gen Z. EPA

The special Emirates A380 will be in service with the Real Madrid decal for six months. Courtesy Emirates

United for Wildlife Emirates A380 before its first flight to London. Courtesy Emirates Airline

An Etihad Airways A380 at the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Christopher Pike / The National

A Singapore Airlines Airbus in the snow at JFK, 2018. Reuters

Etihad Airways economy on an A380. Courtesy Etihad

The Lobby of an Etihad Airways A380. AFP

Aermacchi MB-339 jets from UAE's Al-Fursan display team perform with an Airbus A380 from Etihad Airways before the start of the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit. AFP

An Emirates Airbus A380 plane in Beirut, Lebanon. AP Photo

An Emirates Airline A-380 leads UAE's "Al Fursan" aerobatic display team, during the opening day of the Dubai Air Show. AP Photo

The tail of the Airbus A-380 at the 46th Paris Air Show. Getty Images

An Emirates Airbus A380 plane is seen at Nice International airport in Nice, France. REUTERS

An Airbus SAS A380 super jumbo performs a flying display on day two of the 51st International Paris Air Show in Paris, France. Bloomberg

Line Emirates is one of the airlines included in the TSA's emergency order. Courtesy Emirates

Tthe A380 has been Airbus’s flagship project for the past two decades. Bloomberg

A British Airways A380. Courtesy British Airways

A Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 at Beijing airport. AFP

New wheels on the Emirates A380. Courtesy Emirates

At Dubai's Miracle Garden, more than five million flowers were grown to produce a full-size Emirates Airbus A380. Courtesy Guinness World Records