Slosar Says New Airplane Needs "Technical Improvements"

Cathay CEO John Slosar said Thursday that he things Airbus will be forced to push back its timetable for its new A350XWB, even as Boeing gets set to bring the Dreamliner to market. Slosar said at a Paris news conference that Airbus "has technical improvements to make (on the aircraft) and it will certainly be delayed."

Airbus says the new composite airliner will be ready to enter service by the end of 2013, which is an adjustment from the mid-year timeframe. He said that Airbus was making every effort to minimize delays after its experience with the A380 super-jumbo.

EADS CEO Louis Gallios has confirmed that the timetable for the A350 "remains challenging." At EADS' annual meeting, Gallios said there will be "difficulties to be overcome in the coming years," according to a report from the French news service AFP.

Cathay Pacific has ordered 30 of the A350s, which it does not expect to be flying for the carier before late 2015, according to Slosar. He said he hope the airline will be able to increase the number of flights it offers to destinations such as New York, London, and Sydney.

FMI: www.airbus.com, www.cathaypacific.com