The world's biggest jumbo jet lifted off safely today from Singapore on its long-delayed first commercial flight, as part of Singapore Airlines' daily service to Sydney.

Watched by hundreds of airport staff and passengers who gathered around the airport lounge with their pocket cameras and camera phones, the Airbus' A380 superjumbo took off from the city-state's Changi Airport on a seven-hour flight.

The aircraft will return to Singapore on Friday.

Passengers paid between US$560 and $100,380 to be on the inaugural flight, after bidding for the tickets as part of a charity auction to drum up publicity.

Airbus' new aircraft -- which boasts two passenger decks and, in Singapore Airlines' version, first-class suites with proper beds -- suffered two years of delays caused by wiring glitches, which pushed the plane maker into a loss and led to 10,000 lost jobs.

Singapore Airlines is to take delivery of another five A380s in 2008.