UPS To Evaluate Airbus A380 Order
 26th OCT 2006

United Parcel Service has set up a team to evaluate its multi-billion dollar purchase of Airbus A380 freighters, saying all options remain open.

The move, confirmed by the company on Friday, is a further sign of doubt among Airbus customers over the A380 superjumbo, which is now two years behind schedule. On October 4 Airbus — majority owned by European aerospace group EADS — announced a third delay to A380 production due to continuing problems with the plane’s wiring.

The announcement caused airlines around the world to review their purchase plans for what would be the world’s largest commercial plane, although none has yet canceled orders. UPS, whose freighter fleet makes it the world’s eighth-largest airline, has 10 A380s on order worth more than $2.5bn at list prices, with an option to buy 10 more.

UPS said on Friday that it received official notification of the latest delay on October 6, pushing back its first A380 delivery to May 2010 from September 2009.

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