Airlines warn of new A380 delays

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Two airlines have said that Airbus has written to them to warn of possible further delays to deliveries of the jet-maker's A380 superjumbo.

Both Dubai-based Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways confirmed on Tuesday they had received the warning.

However, an Airbus spokesman said there was "no mention about possible delays" and that it was simply "reviewing the production process".

Emirates said any delay would do "serious damage" to the airline.

The company has ordered 58 of the giant planes, the biggest order for the A380 so far.

Press reports

Deliveries of the A380 are already running almost two years late, because of production delays centred on wiring problems.

Emirates president Tim Clark told the Reuters news agency that the potential additional delay would hit its deliveries scheduled for 2009.

The first A380 entered commercial service last year with Singapore Airlines, but Emirates remains the plane's largest customer.

German media first speculated on Monday that Airbus' 2009 deliveries of the A380 might be delayed.

British Airways has ordered 12 A380s, due to be delivered from 2012, while Virgin Atlantic has ordered six, to arrive from 2013.

The airliner's wings are made at Broughton in north Wales and at Filton in Bristol.

Airbus is part of aerospace group EADS. Shares in EADS ended Tuesday trading down 1.59 euros to 16.12 euros.