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New Airbus jumbo jet makes Asian debut

Two airport policemen stand guard as the world's biggest passenger jet, an Airbus A380 superjumbo touches down at the Changi International Airport yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

The double-decker Airbus A380 made its first landing in Asia yesterday, and Airbus officials assured Asian airlines there will be no further delays in the delivery of the superjumbo, promising to compensate for losses.

The European jet maker, which has secured 159 firm orders for the plane so far, also said it is in talks to sell the jet to more carriers in China and India and is confident of maintaining its lead against US archrival Boeing Co.

In its first long-haul test flight outside of Europe, the giant airliner touched down shortly after 10am at Singapore's Changi Airport after completing a 13-hour flight covering 13,500km from Airbus' headquarters in Toulouse, southwest France.

The great white jet, as tall as a seven-story building and stretching about three-quarters of the length of a soccer field, taxied down the runway amid tight security as hundreds of excited travelers and airport staff looked on.

The A380 prototype was originally due to arrive Tuesday in Singapore -- the first stop of an Asian-Pacific tour that includes Australia and Malaysia -- but Airbus postponed the trip three days to replace two of the plane's four engines.

Airbus chief operating officer Charles Champion, who is head of the A380 program, said there was no problem with the Rolls-Royce engine and the replacement was just a precautionary measure.

Seven airlines in the Asia-Pacific region have ordered a total of 49 A380s, accounting for 31 percent of 159 firm orders so far for the world's largest passenger aircraft.

But deliveries have been pushed back due to production delays, irking buyers.

Champion said the rollout of the plane was now on track and Airbus was "committed to deliver the first aircraft by the end of 2006" to Singapore Airlines, the first airline to operate the jet.

Singapore Airlines, which has ordered 10 A380s, has complained about an eight-month delay in delivery to next November. Australian Qantas, which has ordered 12 of the jets, and Malaysia Airlines, which has ordered six planes, are also unhappy with the postponement.

Airbus will compensate airlines for the delays according to contract terms, officials said.

"It is standard practice ... payments will be made for each day of delay in delivery. It is not an enormous amount of money considering how much the aircraft is worth," said John Leahy, chief operating officers for customers.

Other A380 customers in the region are Thai Airways, Korean Air, China Southern Airlines and India's Kingfisher Airlines.

Production will be ramped up, but new A380 customers will have to wait at least six years to take delivery, Champion said.

Singapore Airlines plans to start operating the jet by Christmas next year, said Bey Soo Khiang, a senior executive vice president. He also said the company was finalizing talks over compensation for the delays.

Singapore Transport Minister Yeo Cheow Tong toured the jet yesterday at Changi Airport, which has upgraded both its terminals to accommodate the A380, which has a list price of US$292 million.

With air travel expected to boom in the next 20 years, Leahy said the A380 -- which is designed to carry 555 passengers but can be stretched to accommodate 800 -- will help to ease airport congestion.
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