Emirates plans to order more Airbus A380 superjumbos |
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Thu, 26 Apr 2007 10:38
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DUBAI (Thomson Financial) - Dubai-based carrier Emirates is planning to order more Airbus A380 superjumbos despite the delay in delivery of the aircraft, for which it is the principal client, its chairman has said.'Actually, we are planning to buy more (of the A380 long-haul aircraft),' chairman and chief executive Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum told reporters when asked if Emirates was considering cancelling part of its order in light of the repeated delays in delivery.He said the airline had reached agreement with Airbus on compensation for the delayed delivery of the 43 jets already ordered -- the biggest single order for the A380.'Different compensations we are working at. Everything has been agreed about with Airbus, but don't ask about the figure.'Maktoum acknowledged that the expansion plans of the Middle East's fastest growing carrier had been affected by the delay in bringing the A380s into service.The first aircraft is now scheduled to be delivered by August 2008, he said, adding that the airline had expected to have 18 of the A380s delivered by that time.Emirates was the first company publicly to seek compensation from Airbus, a unit of EADS, for delivery delays for what will be the world's largest civilian airliner.The carrier, which boasts a 102-strong fleet and an order list of 107 aircraft, had expected to receive its first aircraft by October this year.tf.TFN-Europe_newsdesk@thomson.comafp/wjCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.
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Malaysia Airlines denies A380 superjumbo order cancellation 