Survey Says: Superjumbo Customers Lacking Confidence

In response to a news service poll that revealed customers’ lack of confidence in the planemaker’s ability to keep up with its announced delivery schedule, Airbus has reaffirmed its intent to make this year’s deliveries of its A380s as promised.

A recent Bloomberg poll of Airbus customers showed significant doubt that the projected delivery schedule could be met. As ANN reported, last May Airbus revised its projected 2009 numbers down from 25 to 21 A380 deliveries, a figure that was subsequently revised in January to 18. But a company spokesman says Airbus is sticking to that figure.

"It is our objective to deliver 18 aircraft this year. We announced this objective in January and this has not changed," Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said. Poll respondents said Airbus is more likely to deliver just 15 A380s in 2009.

A380 superjumbo production has suffered over two years worth of delays, primarily due to a difficult manufacturing transition from single production to mass production and wiring installation problems.

Reuters reports Airbus sales chief John Leahy announced last week that net sales in Q1 reached $1.8 billion. To date, Airbus has received orders for 200 of its A380s from a total of 15 airlines and one private customer, while delivering just 13 of them.

FMI: www.airbus.com