Company Watch - Airbus.

Dec 31, 2006

Emirates To Seek Airbus A380 Compensation. Emirates confirmed on Tuesday it would seek compensation for a delay in the delivery of Airbus's A380 aircraft, for which it is the largest customer, but negotiations have not yet started. Dec 26, 2006

Shenzhen operates a fleet of 45 A320s and 737s on 100 routes within China, employs 6,300 and carried 5.3 million passengers last year. "Mesa's experience and reputation as a leader in the regional airline industry make it the perfect choice to partner with us in launching this airline," Shenzhen President Li Ku said. Dec 26, 2006

Airbus COO-Customers John Leahy has conceded the top spot in 2007 orders to Boeing. He said Airbus has "outsold Boeing every year for the last five years. I think it's always nice to share as long as we stay within a 40% to 60% band. There are two players in the market and you don't have a very stable market if one is always on top." Dec 22, 2006

Airbus COO-Customers John Leahy reminded that Airbus will deliver more aircraft (420) than Boeing in 2006 and 2007. He was cooler on a stretched A380 despite pressure from Emirates for the aircraft: "It's up to the market at this point. The first thing we have to do now is build the ones that we've already sold. We get those out the door, we start flying them, but the timing is up to the market." Dec 22, 2006

Airbus enters holidays confident as Qantas firms A380 order. Qantas delivered Airbus an early Christmas present, signing for eight more A380s and four A330-200s yesterday in Sydney.The order makes the airline the second-biggest A380 customer after Emirates and left Airbus President and CEO Louis Gallois looking forward to 2007. The signing was confirmation of an October announcement. Dec 22, 2006

Airbus's Gallois was upbeat on the rollout of the Power8 program designed to reshape Airbus. Regarding the A380 delay, Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon told this website that the airline is "considering" rolling out its A380 interior product in its 747-400 fleet as Singapore Airlines did earlier this month with its 777-300ERs. SIA plans to deploy some of its dash 300ERs on Australian services next year. Dec 22, 2006

Qantas's first Airbus A380 will be delivered in August 2008 and Gallois said that he is confident his company will meet the revised production and delivery schedule. "I have to say we are fully committed to deliver the airplanes for the date we have indicated, October 2007, at all levels of my company. I am fully committed personally," he declared. He also praised Qantas's handling of the delay, saying the carrier upheld the Australian tradition of "standing by its mates to overcome adversity and to turn it into something positive." Dec 22, 2006

Airbus and Singapore Airlines are unclear about what sort of financial compensation factored into the new order, but both the airline and the manufacturer said they have reached accord on A380 delivery delay compensation. Gallois told Dow Jones he expects "no cancellations" from A380 customers going forward and indicated that those customers also may place additional orders for the next-generation aircraft. He insisted there "absolutely" will not be any further delays. Dec 21, 2006

Airbus President and CEO Louis Gallois was in Singapore for the announcement and reiterated that the plane-maker is "very sorry" about the A380 program's delays, which will cause SIA to take delivery of its first aircraft in October 2007, 18 months later than originally scheduled. Dec 21, 2006

Royal Jordanian's decision to modernize its long-haul fleet comes following the conclusion of the first phase of its medium-haul modernization. This year it took six new A320s/A321s and the first of seven Embraer E-195s. The remaining six join the fleet over the next 18 months. Dec 21, 2006

Singapore orders nine more A380s; also orders 11 A320s for SilkAir. A380 launch customer Singapore Airlines gave the beleaguered aircraft program a boost yesterday by ordering nine more of the type along with six options, bringing to 19 the number of A380s it has on firm order. The nine new aircraft are worth a combined $2.7 billion. SIA also ordered 11 A320s plus nine options to be delivered to regional affiliate SilkAir from 2009 to 2012 and said it is planning to lease 19 A330-300s. The SilkAir order is valued at $1.33 billion. The regional said it will use the aircraft for flights in Asia. Dec 21, 2006

Thai Airways was offered a discount by Airbus if it ordered more A380s, of which it currently has six on firm order according to a report by France's La Tribune. Dec 21, 2006

AerCap orders 20 A330-200s. Dutch aircraft lessor AerCap signed a firm contract with Airbus for 20 A330-200s. AerCap CEO Klaus Heinemann said. No engine choice was announced. The company's relationship with Airbus includes previous orders for a combined 102 A320 family aircraft. Dec 18, 2006

Thales said it will supply the "majority" of critical avionics on up to 90 new A320s ordered by Air One. Deal includes Thales' Topflight Line of avionics and an LCD head-up display. Aircraft deliveries are scheduled through 2008. Dec 18, 2006

Editor: Aram Gesar, eMail: [e-mail]

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Dec 18, 2006