Planemaker Airbus threw a huge party today for its new A380 aircraft - the world's largest airliner and one that its designers say will reshape aviation.
An interior picture of the new jet
French President Jacques Chirac, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero were among 5,000 guests invited for a first glimpse of the A380 in Airbus colours.
The largest civil airliner ever built was being kept behind an eight-storey-high black curtain ahead of its inauguration at the A380 final assembly plant in Toulouse.
Airlines have committed almost $40 billion to buying the 555-seat double-decker superjumbo, expecting it to lower operating costs and boost profits flattened by high oil prices and a slowdown in global aviation and tourism since 2001.
Airbus has 149 orders or commitments from 14 airlines for the aircraft, which is due to take its first test flight in March or April, according to Airbus chief Mr Noel Forgeard. It is due to enter service in 2006.
Speaking at a news conference, Mr Forgeard confirmed for the first time that Airbus was in talks to sell A380 planes to China and said he was confident of a deal by Easter, or late March.
Deutsche Lufthansa chief Wolfgang Mayrhuber said he expected the airline to raise its order for 15 planes.
The mammoth A380 has room for 70 cars to park on its wing and looks like the hump-backed Boeing 747 but with the top section stretching all the way back to the tail.
Airlines will be able to configure the plane according to the service they want to sell, with some opting for an upstairs-downstairs feel with luxurious frills on the upper deck.
Others will be able to pack more than 800 passengers in an all-economy layout on both decks for charter flights. Virgin Atlantic will offer a beauty therapist area, a gym, a casino, and double beds on its A380s.
"Since you have gaming and you have private double beds maybe there are two ways of getting lucky on a Virgin plane," Virgin Group chairman Mr Richard Branson told reporters.