AVIATION - Jumbo delay sends SIA to Boeing

Bangkokpost.com, 3-10-2006

Singapore (dpa) - Singapore Airlines (SIA) expressed disappointment on Wednesday over the third delay in receiving its Airbus A380 and said new capacity will be injected by aircraft from the European planemaker's US rival, Boeing.

"Compensation will be provided," SIA said, referring to its agreement with Airbus. No specific amounts were disclosed, but Airbus was reported to have paid millions of dollars for the previous delays.

With the first double-decker, 555-passenger jets now scheduled for delivery in the fourth quarter of 2007, SIA affirmed it will remain the "first to fly" the world's largest passenger plane with deliveries of subsequent aircraft in 2008 and beyond.

"As was the case under the former delivery schedule," SIA said in a statement, the carrier "will receive the first four aircraft."

The European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co (EADS), the parent company, announced on Tuesday it has pushed back its A380 for another year with deliveries now running two years late.

SIA, which had been expecting to be the A380 launch carrier in December, will have to wait until October 2007.

The new capacity will be injected with the first of 19 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft being delivered in November, SIA said.

"Six of these aircraft will be delivered before the end of 2006, and ten will be in service by mid-2007," said SIA, one of the world's wealthiest airlines.

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