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The international airport of Suriname, doesn't have stairways (yet). Still KLM flies there with a Boeing 747. Making it one of the best places to board a 747. I always have enjoyed walking to the plane and then board it by climbing the stairs. The grandeur of the queen of the skies just grows on you boarding it this way.

Is it already possible to have a similar experience with an Airbus 380?

hippietrail
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1 Answers1

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Yes, you can have that experience in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia (JED). The new airport is still under construction and most of the old airport uses stairs to board until now! Anyway, Two daily A380 flights operated by Emirates depart from JED to Dubai (DXB), one in the morning and one in the evening and passengers board these flights using stairs.

This is an A380 airplane in JED prior to boarding A380 boarding stairs in JED

UPDATE 2022

This answer is no longer valid, as the new airport is operational and jetways are used.

Nean Der Thal
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    But isn't it impossible to visit Saudi Arabia as a tourist? – gerrit Oct 25 '12 at 20:18
  • I'm not sure it's impossible to visit as a tourist, very difficult perhaps. – Stuart Oct 25 '12 at 20:31
  • I think so, But you can always have transit flight to DXB via JED. if you really want to see this! – Nean Der Thal Oct 25 '12 at 20:43
  • @gerrit I also read that you can have tourist visa for organized tours. Not sure as well.. – Nean Der Thal Oct 25 '12 at 20:52
  • My source is this answer. – gerrit Oct 25 '12 at 20:58
  • Well, it seems hard! but I am sure I have seen some tourists before.. did not ask them how they get in.. and no, they were not there for religious reasons.. – Nean Der Thal Oct 25 '12 at 21:09
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    Saudi Arabia doesn't issue tourist visas, hasn't for years. You'll have to have either a business visa, work permit, or be a hajj participant to get in unless you're a citizen (and I guess there's student visa as well). All of those place severe restrictions on where you can go and what you can do. – jwenting Oct 26 '12 at 06:27
  • Concerning the edit: Saudi Arabia did start using tourist visas a few years ago, so there may have been a brief period where it was possible for a tourist to have this experience. – Michael Seifert May 24 '22 at 01:16