AIRBUS REVEALED NEW DELAYS OF AT LEAST SIX MONTHS IN DELIVERIES OF ITS A380 SUPERJUMBO ON TUESDAY, IN AN EMBARRASSING NEW SETBACK EXPECTED TO BLOW A TWO BILLION EURO CASH HOLE IN PARENT EADS STARTING IN 2007, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. THE EUROPEAN PLANEMAKER SAID IT WOULD STILL DELIVER THE FIRST AIRCRAFT TO SINGAPORE AIRLINES IN 2006, BUT WOULD SLOW DOWN DELIVERIES FROM NEXT YEAR ONWARDS BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS WITH THE INSTALLATION OF ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESSES. "WE HAVE HAD AN INDUSTRIAL DELAY. IT WILL SHIFT THE PROGRAMME TO THE RIGHT BY SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS," JOHN LEAHY, AIRBUS' CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER, TOLD REUTERS. EADS SAID THE DELAYS WOULD MEAN SHORTFALLS IN EARNINGS, BEFORE INTEREST AND TAX, OF 500 MILLION EUROS A YEAR BETWEEN 2007 AND 2010, AND ACKNOWLEDGED IT WOULD HAVE TO PAY PENALTIES TO CARRIERS WHICH HAVE SIGNED UP FOR THE WORLD'S BIGGEST AIRLINER. HOWEVER, IT SAID THIS YEAR'S EARNINGS WOULD NOT BE AFFECTED. AIRBUS UPSET AIRLINES EARLIER IN THE A380 PRODUCTION CYCLE BY ANNOUNCING A 6-MONTH DELAY IN DELIVERIES AFTER INSISTING FOR MONTHS THAT THE PROGRAMME WAS RUNNING TO SCHEDULE. --MORE 13/06/2006 23:30 ت م
