The Airbus A380 is the largest passenger plane in operation, and is still an awe-inspiring sight nearly a decade after it first entered regular service.

Stand at the end of the runway at one of the large airports that it operates out of, and you will hear people exclaim “how does something that big get into the air?!” Often the next comment is: “How do they get all the people on and off?” Because that’s the other thing about this giant of the skies; as we’ll find out it can fit hundreds of people, their luggage, and the comforts and entertainment they demand on its long flight routes.

British Airways has ordered 12 A380s for its fleet (some of which are still being built), and invited BBC Future to witness an engineering service inspection – known as a 2A check – to see the parts of the plane that the paying public do not usually get to see, and to discover the answers to some of the most common questions.

First things first; the A380 is so large that the engineering hangars at Heathrow Airport had to be specially modified – and these hangars can easily swallow a Boeing 747. The 1950s buildings are architectural landmarks, but at 23m (76ft) high were just a shade too short to fit the plane’s giant tail fin. The entrance to two hangars was given an extra notch in height of 3.5m (11.5ft) to allow the A380 tail to pass through. It is still a tight fit, as you can see in our timelapse: