Airbus stops work on freighter

Financially troubled European airplane manufacturer Airbus has stopped work on the freight version of its new A380 super-jumbo so that it can focus more on the troubled passenger version of the aircraft, its parent company said Thursday.

“The work on the freight version of the A380 has just been temporarily cut off ... so that all capacities can be directed at the A380 passenger version,” said Michael Hauger, spokesman for European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co.

Last week United Parcel Service Inc. postponed taking delivery on the A380 freight version.

The American company was the last remaining customer for the freighter and said it would decide later this year whether to move ahead with a plan to buy 10 of the jets or cancel the order.

UPS originally ordered the 10 jets in January 2005, with options to buy 10 more in a deal valued at about $2.8 billion at list prices.

“Following the rescheduling with UPS, development work on the A380F has been interrupted, but the program is still ongoing,” Airbus spokeswoman Ann de Crozals said. “It’s not a decision to stop the program.”

Toulouse, France-based Airbus is struggling to survive the crippling fallout from a two-year delay to the A380 and the weaker U.S. dollar, in which the planes are priced.