Singapore - A seat on the maiden commercial flight of the A-380 attracted a bid of 10,200 dollars on Wednesday as hopefuls from around the world sought to be among the first passengers on the largest commercial plane. It was the highest bid for a one-way, ultra-first class seat, followed by 8,159 dollars for a business-class ticket, since the Singapore Airlines (SIA) charity auction started late Monday on eBay, the online marketplace.
With seats available for couples, groups of four and a block of 10, the auction brought a top bid of 11,311 dollars for a pair of business class seats.
"We are very excited by the support and enthusiasm of the global community for this charity auction, as shown through the responses and constant activity on the eBay site," said Stephen Forshaw, vice president of public affairs.
Eager to boost their chances of being on board the double-decker jet, many submitted multiple bids.
The first full day of bidding attracted 1,000 bids and the second was expected to attract at least that many. The charity auction lasts for two weeks.
"This is just the start of the auction and there are many more opportunities to participate," Forshaw said, adding that "the excitement level will continue."
Winners will be notified immediately once the results are known.
The first A-380 is scheduled to be turned over to SIA on October 15 at a ceremony in Toulouse, France, delayed for nearly two years by production problems. SIA has ordered 19 of the superjumbos.
The inaugural flight from Singapore to Sydney's Kingsford Smith Airport is scheduled for October 25, to return the following day.
Nearly three-quarters of 471 seats across three classes are available for bids. Seats are being auctioned on both legs of the flight.
As for the yet-to-be-unveiled first-class suites, Forshaw said, "These are very limited in number. We expect very strong interest."
The double-decker A-380 can accommodate 850 passengers.
Bids started at 3.80 dollars for a one-way economy class ticket. Business class bids began at 38 dollars and 380 dollars for the suites.
A one-way economy ticket from Singapore to Sydney normally costs about 780 dollars, and 3,290 dollars for business class.
All of the proceeds of the auction will be donated to charities including Doctors Without Borders, two children's hospitals in Sydney and the Singapore Community Chest.
Fares for the A-380 have not been announced. Scheduled service will start on the Sydney route soon after the first flight.
