Louis Gallois (L), CEO of European Aeronautic Defence and Space company (EADS), poses at a bar inside the A380 aircraft during a hand-over ceremony in Hamburg, July 28, 2008. [Agencies]

Emirates signed an order for 58 A380s in July 2000, in a deal worth some euro32 billion (US$50.3 billion).

"Fulfilling the A380 dream has required vision, innovation, a lot of courage and determination," said Tom Enders, the chief executive of Toulouse, France-based Airbus. "Emirates shared in this vision early on."

Airbus, the aircraft division of European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company NV, said it has 202 orders for the passenger version of the A380 so far. The next biggest orders are Australia's Qantas Airways with 20, Singapore Airlines with 19, and German airline Lufthansa with 15 A380s.

In a typical three-class configuration, the aircraft can seat about 525 people. The next largest passenger aircraft, the Boeing 747, seats about 420 in the same configuration.