Airbus Industrie, the European airliner building consortium, announced delays in the deliveries of its A380 superjumbo jet in mid-June, sending shockwaves through the airline industry, and causing some customers to withdraw orders and give them to rival Boeing Company.
Airbus announced a shift in its production schedule for the double-decker A380, the largest commercial airliner ever built, caused by manufacturing bottlenecks. The company said the delays centered on the production and installation-of electrical systems and harnesses, and were expected to push production schedules back six to seven months.
The delays fostered further speculation that Airbus' A380 program may have been too ambitious. The 555-seat airliner was being targeted at airline companies that fly worldwide routes, but there are only a handful of airports that have runways long enough for the giant jet.
Boeing gave up its plans for a large jet and opted to build a smaller airplane.
