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Airbus hopes new plane on schedule

By Lu Haoting (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-23 09:00

China is likely to get its first Airbus A380 on schedule despite general delays in the delivery of the huge plane, Airbus said yesterday.

"We are doing our best to ask our headquarters to ensure that China receives its first A380 before the 2008 Olympic Games," said Airbus China Ltd spokesman Kevin Gu.

"China is one of the most important markets for Airbus given the fact that we have put engineering, training and customer support facilities into the country and will even produce aircraft here," Gu said.

Airbus A380's assembly plant. China is likely to get its first Airbus A380 on schedule despite general delays in the delivery of the huge plane, Airbus said yesterday. [newsphoto]

The double-decker A380 is the world's largest commercial aircraft. The 555-seat plane took its maiden flight in April 2005.

Gu said pilots from China Southern Airlines, the first Chinese airline to fly the A380, will receive flight training in France next month as scheduled.

But European airplane manufacturer Airbus will only be able to deliver nine A380s next year; China Southern was scheduled as the 15th customer. Airbus was originally expected to deliver 20 to 25 A380s next year.