More Delivery Delays Expected for Airbus A380

Airbus will take several years to meet its original delivery schedule for the A380 plane after delays over wiring and weight issues, the company’s chief operating officer said Tuesday.

Airbus said June 1 that it was facing a six-month delay in delivering the first A380s to customers such as Singapore Airlines Ltd., Qantas Airways Ltd. and Air France-KLM Group. The plane will be the world’s largest airliner.

Toulouse, France-based Airbus is trailing rival Boeing Co. in plane orders this year for the first time since 2000. The production slowdown for the 555-seat A380 will force Airbus to pay penalties to customers. Payments could top $1 million for each delayed plane and $25 million in total, according to Arran Aerospace, a consulting firm.

“The delays will run over a couple of years,” said Gustav Humbert, Airbus chief operating officer, at a Paris Air Show briefing. Airbus is still discussing the situation with customers, and he wouldn’t provide a figure for penalties.

Humbert said there were three main causes: problems with wiring for passenger entertainment systems; complexities in designing different cabin interiors for each airline; and grappling with weight issues.

The weight problems have been solved through the use of lighter materials, and Airbus expects to settle other issues in two to six months, he said.

Humbert is likely to succeed Noel Forgeard as Airbus chief executive when the latter becomes co-chief executive of parent company European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co.