Singapore Airlines could cancel A380 order
Singapore Air could cancel Airbus order-report
Wed Oct 18, 2006 2:58 AM ET
PARIS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines could cancel an order for nine Airbus A380 superjumbos if there are excessive delays to its delivery, French newspapers reported on Wednesday.
"If the deliveries are too far away and take place at a moment during which we do not need them, we could indeed cancel them," said Bey Soo Khiang, senior executive vice president of the airline, was quoted as saying in La Tribune.
Airbus, the aircraft maker controlled by aerospace group EADS has not given Singapore Airlines a precise schedule for all the deliveries, La Tribune said.
A Singapore Airlines spokesman told Reuters: "The comment quoted in the French media refers only to the option that exists in the Purchase Agreement to cancel deliveries that are delayed. There has been no decision to exercise any cancellation rights under the Agreement. We therefore can't rule any options in or out at this time, which is the position we have maintained since the delay was announced."
Airbus could not be reached for comment.
The order for nine A380s comes on top of a firm order of 10 aircraft signed last year by the airline, the world second largest by market capitalisation, La Tribune noted.
Airbus has revealed a string of internal problems which have led it to delay the first deliveries of its superjumbo A380 aircraft.
Singapore Airlines said on Tuesday it had spent $360 million on interior design for its new aircraft including first-class seats that are nearly 1 metre (40 inches) wide.