Dubai-based airline Emirates, the largest customer for Airbus's A380 superjumbo airliner, said it has agreed compensation with the European planemaker over the delayed delivery of the world's largest passenger aircraft.
"The compensation deal has been concluded," spokesman Mike Simon said. Emirates Chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed al-Maktoum said on April 26 that a deal would be concluded within a week.
"We have repeatedly said we are committed to the A380 and, having now fully settled all past issues, this latest agreement should leave no one in doubt about our faith in Airbus," Sheikh Ahmed was quoted as saying in an Emirates statement on Monday about the purchase of an additional four A380s. That takes it total to 47. Simon declined to give details of the agreement and said the additional aircraft purchase was not linked to compensation.
Emirates President Tim Clark told Reuters last month the government-owned carrier may order between 10 and 15 more A380s to meet rising passenger-travel demand through its Dubai hub to Europe and Asia.
Emirates is now due to take delivery of its first A380 in August 2008, a delay of almost two years. The largest Arab airline had expected to have 18 of the 555-seat planes by then, before Airbus announced production delays due mainly to wiring problems. Emirates has 105 aircraft on order worth about $30 billion at list prices, the airline said.
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