Hundreds of plane spotters have clogged the roads around Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport to observe the arrival of the Airbus A380, the world's biggest passenger airplane.

Many of them arrived early on Thursday morning, hours before the plane was due. It landed at the Dutch hub shortly before 10 o'clock.

The Airbus is doing the round of Europe's airports to familiarise ground staff with the huge craft and the logistics surrounding it. A Schiphol spokesperson told reporters there were no problems. "We've been prepared for this for a long while."

Runways were extended in the course of renovation work, including the taxiway curves which had to be widened.

It's the first time that the giant A380 touched down in Amsterdam.

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide