Three Asian carriers eyeing giant A380s

Airbus SAS is in "detailed discussions" with three Asian airlines about orders for as many as 30 of its 550-seat A380 aircraft, said John Leahy, the European planemaker's chief commercial officer.

Should three airlines decide to buy 30 of the aircraft, the orders would be worth US$7.2 billion, based on Airbus's list price of US$240 million for each plane. In Asia, Singapore Airlines Ltd and Qantas Airways Ltd have already ordered the twin-decked "superjumbo," which will enter service in 2006.

"Each one of these orders would probably be in the neighborhood of between five and 10 aircraft," Leahy said in an interview at the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines annual conference in Cebu, the Philippines. He declined to name the potential customers.

The Toulouse, France-based planemaker is building the A380 to challenge Chicago-based Boeing Co's 747 in the market for planes seating more than 400 people. Airbus has 97 firm orders for the new aircraft and about the same number of options, Leahy said.

Potential for the A380s in Asia may come from Japan Airlines System Corp, All Nippon Airways Co, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific Airways and Korean Air Co, analysts said.

"Airbus wants to let people know that there's still sales potential here in Asia," said Jim Eckes, managing director of Indoswiss Aviation in Hong Kong. "There's a great deal of gamesmanship here as well, as they will want to publicize that the A380 is a viable aircraft." About a quarter of total plane sales over the next 20 years will be A380 aircraft, based on dollar values, Leahy said.

Cathay Pacific's Chief Executive Officer David Turnbull said in August that it will probably decide whether to buy the A380 in six to eight months.