AIRBUS' SUPER-JUMBO TO MAKE STOP AT LAX.

Byline: ANDREA SUDANO

Staff Writer

Airbus, one of the world's largest airplane manufacturers, has had an apparent change of heart, announcing that its giant A380 will stop in Los Angeles this month after all.

The super-jumbo jet with a double-deck cabin and a wingspan almost as long as a football field is set to touch down March 19 at Los Angeles International Airport as one of the aircraft's first visits to the United States, city and Airbus officials said this week.

The announcement comes less than two weeks after news that the super-jumbo jet capable of accommodating more than 500 passengers would bypass LAX for New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

One Los Angeles World Airports official called the sudden change "a slap at Los Angeles International Airport -- and the city of Los Angeles."

Alan Rothenberg, president of the airport commission, described the decision as "a stunning about-face" in a letter to Airbus' chief executive officer in France.

But officials had a different attitude this week.

"Being part of the A380's inaugural visit to the U.S. is a clear indication that Los Angeles is a leading international gateway and that our airport is a world-class facility," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said in a statement.

One A380 will land at LAX and another at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 19, allowing Quantas Airways to test the airports' airfield maneuvering, terminal docking and ground-handling services and equipment.

LAWA has already spent more than $51 million preparing for the A380, including renovating its gates to accommodate the aircraft.

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