British Airways A380 Deliveries to be Delayed
Airbus A380
British Airways will likely not receive their first Airbus A380 Superjumbos until the latter part of 2013.
Airbus has been hit by problems with the Superjumbo, namely wing crack issues that have hit many of the airlines who fly the A380. Airbus is spending upwards of $600 million to fix the cracks and that has delayed new deliveries.
IAG (International Airlines Group) CEO Willie Walsh said they are not worried and realize there will be a delay:
“We are in discussions with Airbus about deliveries. The A380 deliveries will be pushed back and it’s likely we will continue to take delivery of the A380s in 2013 but it will be probably towards the third quarter of the year before we take delivery of those aircraft.”
The airline has ordered a total of 12 A380s.
IAG is the parent company of British Airways.
Category: Airnation
It’s good that BA is understanding of the delays, and isn’t threatening for a “major discount” like some other airlines *cough cough*. Let Airbus fix the issues with the plane and allow them to deliver perfection! It appears Airbus is taking the wing cracking thing seriously and i commend them for that!
This is no surprise that Airbus has delays in deliveries for the A-380. There is so much going on “BEHIND” closed doors that it could effect the future of the company. Airbus has 80 A-380′s in service and all have wing cracking problems.
Add into the mix the FAA recent approval of “NEW ETOPS RULES” and four engine jet aircraft maybe be on the endangered species list.
To save Commercial Aviation the FAA has now crossed the line and is allowing TWIN-JET operation on these long distance over water flights.I believe the flying public will be in harms way!
The effect on the industry is obvious!
1. Delays in A-380 deliveries
2. Airbus stops manufacturing A-340.
3. Boeing sitting pretty with it’s long distance twin jet aircraft the B-767, 777, 787.
Only time will play out this situation. Mean while more and more airlines are lining up to get into the mix with the new ETOPS rules.
Richard Wyeroski
Richard, is it really that much cheaper to fly a twin-jet overseas than it is a quad? I don’t really know….I’m curious as to the real difference.
I wouln’t want to fly accross the Pacific on a two engine version of a 380 size aircraft. Thanks but no thanks.
FAA is done just that. Hundreds of aircraft are now flying on long over seas flights using twin Engine jet equipment. How safe is this? tome will tell
Rich
No highways in the sky.(old John Wayne flick but true.)
You’re never far away from an airport when flying the North Atlantic. Going to the Southwest Pacific ( New Zealand Australia ) is a dIfferent ball game all together.I’ll take a quad jet any day there.
You got that right.
James :
B-757,B767 aircraft cost considerably less to buy and use 30-40% less fuel compared to four engine equipment. The Aircraft are in service with many airlines and not until The FAA approved the new rules, were these aircraft able to be used for these “long distance” flights.
It is much more profitable to use this smaller twin jet equipment. Their smaller seating capacities develops a demand and the aircraft goes out pretty much near capacity.
The safety factor is less, but the airline stands to make much more money. I believe the incidents of single engine returns will be higher and more dangerous
Thanks,
Rich Wyeroski
Wow…big difference.
At the end of the day it’s about the $$$.
If there are a few accidents and airlines can weather the bad pr from it…well then…that’s the cost of doing business, right?
JamesMX :
I have been a watch dog for almost 10 years now, after losing my FAA job to cronyism and corruption by FAA management. It is the money and there are FAA people, we call them “MINIONS” who lie cheat and steal for their pitiful jobs.
FAA management has been in Airbus’s pocket for years. I only hope some day their offshore bank accounts get exposed and they go to jail where they belong!
Until then, it is going to take an increase in the accident rate for the whole mess to be exposed.
The organization I belong to, THE FAA WHISLEBLOWERS ALLIANCE, is ready in the wings to expose these slimes when the time comes.
Unfortunately we are seeing everyday through dedicated sites like Kenneth’s the “routine” emergency returns of numerous airline’s because of poor maintenance and the Failure of the FAA to protect the public.
The problems are systemic and have been exposed by such recent publications like, ATTENTION ALL PASSENGERS, by William McGee.
Until then hopeful something will change? but usually major crashes bring the attention to the problems and the government reacts and goes into Public Relations cover-up!
Richard Wyeroski
(an example of FAA looking the other way”)
http://washingtonexaminer.com/whos-fixing-that-airplane-while-youre-getting-groped/article/144379#.UCO7UaAZ9lI
380′s gotta flap wings to get in the air thus wing cracks.
Wow Richard, that’s interesting stuff! My question—–need we be really concerned re;ETOPS when the stats show B777 to be just about the safest and most reliable plane in the skies? Take your point, but as I understand it ETOPS now out to 330 suggesting that a “return” is unnecessary? Of course if the other one goes out……..!!
Normally I would agree that our airliners are safe. However throw into the equation poor overseas third world maintenance, bogus OEM parts for aircraft airframes and engines and the FAA complete lack of proper oversite and we have questionable safety!
Rich Wyeroski
Been the same way for years. We need a change.