Delays on A380 production ramp-up

The EADS-owned company said it had completed an A380 programme review and was now informing customers about changes to its delivery schedule. While its overall recovery programme, initiated in summer 2006, was progressing well, Airbus said its ramp up plans were no longer achievable. Four aircraft were delivered as planned and 17 are in various stages of production, but the review showed that the time and resources needed were higher than expected, and this had created delays. As a result, Airbus plans now for 12 (instead of 13) deliveries in 2008 and 21 (instead of 25) in 2009. Details about the new plan and the further ramp-up and delivery slots in 2010 and the following years would be discussed with customers in the coming weeks, Airbus said. The results of the review did not, at this stage, cover the financial impact, it went on. The extent of the additional costs would be influenced by the actual production and delivery scenario and will follow discussions with the customers and a more precise evaluation of the implications of the new delivery schedule for 2010 deliveries and beyond. “This will therefore take some more time to determine,” the company said.