First A-380 will be delivered to SIA on time: EADS official

MUNICH - EADS co-chief executive Louis Gallois told a news conference yesterday that the first Airbus A-380 superjumbo would be delivered to Singapore Airlines (SIA) on time.

He added that Airbus had started equipping the first plane for Emirates, the biggest customer for the A-380.

In fact, major delays to Airbus' A-380 superjumbo had led to a 768 million euro (S$1.55 billion) fourth-quarter loss last year for the parent company European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS).

EADS said the effects of a series of management and financial crises, including a two-year delay to the double-decker A-380, and charges at its A-350 XWB programme hurt fourth-quarter gains.

Officially launched in December, the 11.6 billion euro A-350 XWB programme promises better fuel efficiency and greater use of composites than the earlier version of the plane, but with later availability.

So far, Finnair has agreed to order nine of the planes, and Airbus is in talks with other airlines about converting 93 outstanding A-350 orders for the wide-body model.

However, the new Airbus jet is five years behind its rival, Boeing's 787 'Dreamliner', which already has notched up 464 firm orders as the United States company prepares to begin building the plane in the second quarter, with the first flight scheduled for August.

Airbus' new orders for planes reached 790 last year, compared with Boeing's 1,044.

Airbus plans to cut 10,000 jobs and spin off or close six of its European manufacturing plants under the auspices of the Power8 plan, which was unveiled on Feb 28.

Three sites making wing and fuselage parts in Britain, France and Germany are earmarked for sale to new investment partners as Airbus follows in Boeing's footsteps by seeking fresh financing for its programmes.

REUTERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS