The first A380 for Malaysia Airlines (MAS) took off on its maiden flight yesterday upon completion of the final assembly and system tests in Toulouse, France.

In a statement in Kuala Lumpur, Airbus said that after a successful flight of five hours, the aircraft returned to Toulouse to be prepared for its next journey to the Airbus facilities in Hamburg, Germany, for cabin installation and painting.

Powered by four Rolls-Royce Trent 900 engines, the aircraft is the first of six A380s ordered by MAS, scheduled for delivery in the second quarter of 2012, it said.

MAS will be the eighth airline to operate the A380.

- Bernama