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Delay in Delivery of Airbus Jets
Stalls Airlines' Flight Schedules
By DANIEL MICHAELS
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 4, 2005; Page D4
The first airlines scheduled to fly the Airbus A380 super-jumbo jetliner say they expect to start using the planes later in next year than previously planned because of delays in delivery from the manufacturer.
The two-deck, 555-seat jet made its first test flight last Wednesday at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France. Amid celebrations of the successful flight, Airbus said the plane will enter service "in the second half of 2006." Airbus had previously targeted the start of service for the first half of next year. In a brochure for the plane from 2003, Airbus said the A380 would start passenger service "in early 2006." As recently as last year, Airbus had hoped that last week's first flight would occur at least one month earlier.
An Airbus spokesman declined to comment on reasons for the delay. But engineers on the aircraft, in which Airbus and its partners are investing more than $12 billion, or €9.3 million, have recently said that technical complexities of the giant project and efforts to hold its weight down have taken longer than originally planned, but aren't a sign of fundamental problems.
A spokesman for Singapore Airlines, which will be the first carrier to operate the world's largest passenger jet, said: "Airbus has advised us of a delay on the first delivery of aircraft and details are being worked through by ourselves and Airbus." He added that Singapore Airlines is "looking to minimize the impact of any delay in our ongoing discussions with Airbus."
Emirates of Dubai is slated to be the second airline to get the A380, in October 2006. When Emirates President Tim Clark was recently asked if he expected to receive the plane on time, he replied that delays are common with new aircraft models, according to an Emirates spokesman.
Airbus said in a statement that the A380's extensive testing over the next year should "prepare for a smooth entry into service."
Airbus is a division of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. and minority owned by Britain's BAE Systems PLC. In closing trading in Paris, EADS rose nine European cents to €22.26.
Write to Daniel Michaels at [email protected]
Delay in Delivery of Airbus Jets
Stalls Airlines' Flight Schedules
By DANIEL MICHAELS
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
May 4, 2005; Page D4
The first airlines scheduled to fly the Airbus A380 super-jumbo jetliner say they expect to start using the planes later in next year than previously planned because of delays in delivery from the manufacturer.
The two-deck, 555-seat jet made its first test flight last Wednesday at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France. Amid celebrations of the successful flight, Airbus said the plane will enter service "in the second half of 2006." Airbus had previously targeted the start of service for the first half of next year. In a brochure for the plane from 2003, Airbus said the A380 would start passenger service "in early 2006." As recently as last year, Airbus had hoped that last week's first flight would occur at least one month earlier.
An Airbus spokesman declined to comment on reasons for the delay. But engineers on the aircraft, in which Airbus and its partners are investing more than $12 billion, or €9.3 million, have recently said that technical complexities of the giant project and efforts to hold its weight down have taken longer than originally planned, but aren't a sign of fundamental problems.
A spokesman for Singapore Airlines, which will be the first carrier to operate the world's largest passenger jet, said: "Airbus has advised us of a delay on the first delivery of aircraft and details are being worked through by ourselves and Airbus." He added that Singapore Airlines is "looking to minimize the impact of any delay in our ongoing discussions with Airbus."
Emirates of Dubai is slated to be the second airline to get the A380, in October 2006. When Emirates President Tim Clark was recently asked if he expected to receive the plane on time, he replied that delays are common with new aircraft models, according to an Emirates spokesman.
Airbus said in a statement that the A380's extensive testing over the next year should "prepare for a smooth entry into service."
Airbus is a division of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. and minority owned by Britain's BAE Systems PLC. In closing trading in Paris, EADS rose nine European cents to €22.26.
Write to Daniel Michaels at [email protected]
