Airbus A380 program on the brink

October 17, 2006 by SwizStick  
Filed under Air Cargo, Airlines

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Wow, I knew it was bad but not this bad:

FedEx Express and UPS each say they are undertaking a fundamental review of their fleet plans following notice ongoing troubles in the Airbus A380 program will delay the scheduled delivery of freighters.

The statements from the largest U.S. cargo airlines suggest support for the giant A380 was wavering, as neither company would say it remains committed to the aircraft.

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UPS spokesman Norman Black said his company received written notice that its A380s would be delivered from May 2010 – eight months behind the previous schedule – to December 2012.

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Emirates Airlines, the largest A380 customer with 43 passenger models ordered out of 134 in all, called the latest delay “a very serious issue” and warned it would think things over.

Analysts said a pullout by a major customer Emirates could jeopardize the entire program.

Since Airbus has locked in orders for just 25 of the freighters among three customers, a decision by any one of them to drop out could undercut the economics of building those planes or reselling them in the future.

 

Will UPS cancel their A380F order?

Airbus A380 Freighter program in question

Boeing freighter orders boom…

Airbus A380 delays could affect freighter models as well