Company Watch - Airbus.

For more company news, data and analysis, please go to: http://www.airguideonline.com/professional.htm Jul 10, 2006

Airbus A380 "Outrageous". This was the one word response by Robert Aaronson, director general Airports Council International, at an Aviation Club luncheon last week to a question regarding US airport upgrade costs. John Mica, a Florida Republican and chairman of the House of Representatives transportation subcommittee on aviation, has suggested that Congress prohibits American airports from spending federal funds on upgrades to accommodate the European-assembled aircraft, which incidentally has major US components. As things stand about 50% of the cost for A380 related improvements are being financed through federal airport grants. So far Los Angeles, John F. Kennedy, Miami and San Francisco are preparing for A380 passenger service. Others have a "wait and see attitude". http://www.house.gov/mica Jul 8, 2006

Airbus Expects 20 New A380 Orders Despite Shakeup, Production Delays. Airbus anticipates 20 additional orders for its A380 superjumbo jet this year despite recent delays to the production timetable, a senior company official said Thursday. Jul 6, 2006

Airbus management structure may be a major problem. Changes in leadership at Airbus won't be enough to solve the aircraft maker's political and production problems, analysts say. They say the structure of Airbus's management -- with two chairmen and two chief executives -- is itself a problem. Meanwhile, Airbus is working on a redesign of its A350 airliner. Jul 5, 2006

Airbus A380 delays of little concern for U.S. passenger carriers. The Airbus A380 superjumbo jet is not designed for North American markets, industry analysts say. The plane's primary customers are Middle Eastern and Asian airlines, although FedEx and UPS have orders for the A380. Airbus recently said it would delay deliveries of the A380. A French shareholders group is suing Airbus parent EADS over the delays. Jul 3, 2006

How five centimeters unraveled Airbus' A380. This feature takes a look at a tiny wiring problem with the Airbus A380 that began a crisis that has seen profit warnings and spawned a power struggle within the jetmaking giant. The A380 contains 500 kilometers of wiring with no slack, so displacements as small as five centimeters touched off production delays the company expects to last six months. Jul 3, 2006

BAE Systems orders Airbus audit. BAE Systems has ordered an audit of Airbus, postponing a possible sale of BAE's 20% stake in the company until September at the earliest. "BAE Systems expects that the audit will assist its board in assessing whether or not to recommend that its shareholders vote in favor of the proposed disposal," BAE said in a statement. Jul 6, 2006

China Southern Airlines Says It Will Buy 50 Airbus Jets. China Southern Airlines said Friday it has agreed to buy 50 Airbus A320 aircraft. The airline signed an agreement to buy the planes Thursday after its board approved the purchase, it said in a statement published in the state-run newspaper China Securities Journal. Total catalog price of the medium-range jets totals 26.53 billion yuan ($3.3 billion), but the airline said it would pay less, without giving an exact amount. The 50 planes will be delivered to the airline from 2009 to 2010. Jul 6, 2006