Airbus Expects Big Delays for A380

The announcement had already prompted Emirates to warn on Sept. 21 that its 45-plane order, worth about $13 billion at list prices, was "up in the air." Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. also said the delay could affect its order for six superjumbos.

Virgin Atlantic reiterated Tuesday that it had received tentative information from Airbus on the new delays, but declined to give details.

French financial daily La Tribune reported that EADS also plans to announce drastic production changes that would see the closure of A380 cabin-fitting, paint shop and delivery centers in Hamburg, Germany, and the transfer of their workloads to Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France — saving on transportation time and costs.

In return, Germany's share of the production of the A320 single-aisle jet family would be increased, according to the unsourced report. It also said Airbus will deliver fewer than four A380s in 2007.

In a statement June 13, the plane maker had already slashed the number of scheduled deliveries in 2007 to nine from 25 as it announced the 555-seater A380's second six-month delay and a 2 billion euro ($2.5 billion) profit warning. EADS shares plunged 26 percent the next day.

The crisis led to the sacking of Airbus boss Gustav Humbert and EADS co-CEO Noel Forgeard — who remains under investigation by market authorities after it emerged that he exercised stock options to make a profit of $3.2 million just weeks before ordering an internal probe into the delays.

EADS is tightening its control over Airbus and is expected to buy BAE Systems PLC's 20 percent stake in the plane maker. BAE shareholders vote Wednesday on a management recommendation to go ahead with the $3.5 billion sale.

EADS shares, which had fallen recently in anticipation of big new delays, were 0.5 percent higher at 22.51 euros ($28.55) in Paris trading.