China Southern Airlines (CSA) denied reports that it will
receive US$250 million in compensation from Airbus for delayed
delivery of it new A380s.
The CSA published an announcement Friday saying it has never
authorized the release of such information.
The announcement said Airbus has informed CSA the delivery of
the A380 passenger planes has been delayed and the two sides are in
discussions.
"We will actively deal with and evaluate the issue," said the
announcement, stressing that the delayed delivery will not have a
serious impact on the company's business operation and financial
results.
Airbus informed its global customers last Tuesday that the
delivery date for the first A380 aircraft would be postponed to
next October. The company said it would deliver 13 aircraft in 2008
and 25 in 2009.
Current and former senior directors of Airbus confirmed that the
major problem is that software used its German and French centers
are not compatible.
Under the new timetable, CSA, which aimed to cash in on the
traffic boom for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, will receive five A380s
in 2009.
Airbus is one of the top airplane manufacturers in the world. In
2005 alone it received orders for 72 airplanes from China, and
delivered 65 aircraft the same year.
(Xinhua News Agency October 14, 2006)