Comparing airlines’ Airbus A380s

British Airways' 14 first class seats are found in the main cabin. The airline says that passengers in this class have 30% more personal space and 60% more storage space.

First class

British Airways’ 14 first class seats are found in the main cabin. The airline says that passengers in this class have 30% more personal space and 60% more storage space. (Justin Tallis / AFP/Getty Images)

July 16, 2012 11:32 AM PT

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British Airways received its first Airbus A380, the world’s largest commercial passenger aircraft, in July and began flying it between LAX and Heathrow on Sept. 24. Now ten airlines operate the superjumbo jet, including Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Air France, Emirates, Qantas Airways, China Southern and Singapore Airlines. Here’s a look at how these airlines have equipped their A380s.

China Southern, China’s largest carrier, configured its A380 to fit 506 passengers in three classes: eight passengers in first, 70 in business and 428 in economy. The carrier’s A380 ranks third in capacity, behind Lufthansa’s and Air France‘s, whose A380s can accommodate 526 and 538 passengers, respectively.

The Chinese carrier’s superjumbo jet features rear and front staircases, mood lighting and several bars. (STR / AFP / Getty Images)

Economy

Economy passengers sit in the main cabin (352 seats) and the upper cabin (76 seats). Each enjoys a video monitor and access to in-flight entertainment. (Pascal Pavani / AFP / Getty Images)

Economy

China Southern devotes 85% of its 506 seats to economy class. Only Singapore Airlines has a higher (just slightly higher) percentage of economy seats. On the lower end of the spectrum, economy accounts for 74% of Korean Air’s seats. (Pascal Pavani / AFP / Getty Images)

Korean Air’s Airbus A380 is configured to seat 407 passengers in three classes, making it the lowest capacity commercial A380. By contrast, Air France can fit up to 538 passengers. Qantas has the second fewest seats with 450. (Jason La / Los Angeles Times)

Economy class

Economy passengers sit in the back of the main cabin. Economy seats (301 in total) span 18 inches wide, are spread 34 inches apart and include a 10.6-inch viewing monitor. Each passenger in this class also has access to coat hangers and a USB port for charging electronic devices. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Business class

Korean Air dedicates the entire upper cabin of its A380 to business class passengers. Each of the 94 seats in this cabin can recline to a fully flat position and has a 15.4-inch video monitor. A screen between seats affords passengers with a degree of privacy. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Business class

Business class features two bars: a self-service bar at the front of the cabin and the hosted Celestial Bar, pictured, at the rear. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

First class

Korean Air’s A380 accommodates 12 passengers in first class. Seats are over six and a half feet long and over two feet wide. The viewing monitors in this class are 23-inches, and each passenger has access to a BOSE headset. (Jason La / Los Angeles Times)

Duty free shop

Korean Air takes an innovative approach to in-flight shopping aboard the A380. Instead of selling goods on pushcarts, the airline set up a shop located in the rear of the main cabin. The flying store features about 60 products, and a cabin crew member is on hand to answer questions. After viewing merchandize, passengers can make purchases at their seat. (Lee Jin-man / Associated Press)

Economy class

Economy class stretches across the entire main cabin of the plane. (Christof Stache / AFP / Getty Images)

Business class

The seats in business class measure almost 20 inches across. (Christof Stache / AFP / Getty Images)

Qantas’ A380s are configured to carry 450 passengers in four classes: 14 in first, 72 in business, 32 in premium economy and 332 in economy. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Economy class

Similar to Singapore Airlines, Qantas economy seats have a 10.6-inch monitor and personal power supply. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Premium economy

Seats in premium economy are 19.5-inches wide and recline to provide footrests that provide additional legroom. Each seat has an adjustable viewing monitor built into to the armrest. (Sergio Dionisio / Getty Images)

Business class

Seats in business class recline to form fully flat beds up to 80-inches long. Seats also come with a built-in massage function, foldout table and 12.1-inch viewing monitor built into the armrest. Passengers in business class have access to a lounge for relaxing with other passengers or meetings. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

First class

Unlike Singapore Airlines, the cabins in Qantass A380s are not fully enclosed, though privacy can be maintained with adjustable window shades. The seats in each cabin convert to fully flat beds 83.5-inches long and 29 inches wide. Each cabin has a 17-inch wide-screen monitor, storage unit and fold-out table. (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)