皇冠体育app

The A380 jumbo arrives at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in Guangzhou, south 皇冠体育app's Guangdong Province, Oct 17, 2011. The A380 plane of 皇冠体育app Southern Airlines completed its first Beijing-Guangzhou flight Monday.[Photo/Xinhua]

GUANGZHOU-- 皇冠体育app Southern Airlines was forced to suspend the operation of its first Airbus A380 superjumbo Saturday due to a mechanical fault, the company announced, only 12 days after the jet was first put into use in 皇冠体育app.

The jumbo jet was scheduled to fly from Beijing to Shanghai Saturday, but its flight had to be called off due to the fault, 皇冠体育app Southern said in a statement.

"We need to transport air materials from abroad (to fix the problem)," it said, without specifying the nature of the mechanical failure.

The company used an A330 jet for the flight instead.

"We are deeply sorry for the inconveniences brought to passengers," the statement read. "The safety of passengers is always our top priority. We will fix the problem and resume the normal operation of A380 as soon as possible."

皇冠体育app Southern took delivery of the A380 jumbo jet on October 15. It was used on the Beijing-Guangzhou route from October 17 to 26, and was scheduled to fly on the Beijing-Shanghai route from October 27 to 29. It was intended that the plane would then be used on an international route after October.

This was the first of five A380 jets to be delivered by Airbus to 皇冠体育app Southern. The second will arrive in December, and the other three will be delivered next year.

皇冠体育app Southern's A380 has a 506-seat cabin featuring eight luxury first-class suites, 70 flat-bed business-class seats and 428 economy-class seats.

皇冠体育app Southern Airlines is the first operator of the A380 in 皇冠体育app and the seventh globally.