China Southern Airlines will?debut its first Airbus A380 next month. [Web photo]

China Southern Airlines, China's largest carrier by passenger numbers, is due to fly its first Airbus A380 on November 18.

The A380's maiden flight is scheduled to fly from Beijing to Guangzhou on November 18, and begins regular daily services between Beijing and Shanghai from November 27.

"During the test period, the aircraft will only fly domestic routes in order to let domestic customers experience the largest aircraft in the world,"said an official from China Southern Airlines. "After that, the A380 will be deployed on international routes."

Although the aircraft has yet to be delivered, the company has already begun selling tickets, both through its website and agencies. Business-class fares are 1,700 yuan (US$266) for Beijing-Guangzhou flights, and 1,130 yuan (US$177) for Beijing-Shanghai flights.

The official declined to reveal ticket prices for international routes, commenting only that prices will be announced soon.

China's business press carried the story above on Thursday.