Airbus superjumbo faces one-year delay

SEATTLE — Industry analysts aren’t predicting that many airlines will abandon their orders for Airbus’ A380 superjumbo, but say the latest delay could give Boeing Co. a boost as it tries to win a launch customer for a larger version of its storied 747.

Airbus SAS’ majority owner, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., announced Tuesday that it doesn’t expect to deliver its first A380 until the second half of 2007 — delaying the plane by another year, and prompting some airlines to consider canceling orders.

“I think this could be the tipping point — not necessarily for those customers that have already ordered the A380, but for those who are about to order some large aircraft,” said J.B. Groh, an analyst with investment firm D.A. Davidson & Co.

After a series of delays, the A380 is now two years behind its original schedule. Airbus CEO Christian Streiff said the latest snag was caused by problems with installing some 300 miles of wiring on each plane.

Despite any frustration over the delays, some analysts said A380 customers have good reason to stick with their orders, because the cost of those planes drops with every concession and fine Airbus is forced to pay.

“By the time the airlines get through extracting all the penalties and concessions out of Airbus for all of the delays … they’re going to have the cheapest damn widebody in the world. They’d be crazy to let that deal get away from them,” said Scott Hamilton, a Seattle-area aviation industry analyst.

John Walsh, president of the consulting firm Walsh Aviation, also noted that some airlines have committed to flying the A380 into airports that have spent a lot of money building gates and lounges and configuring runways and taxiways to fit the enormous plane.

It’s been almost a year since Boeing announced it would begin offering customers a stretch version of the four-engine 747. To date, the company has won 30 orders for the cargo version of the 747-8 but no major orders for the passenger version — only one for a single plane from a customer that asked not to be identified.

Boeing is designing the 747-8 to seat about 450 passengers, but the plane could be configured to hold as many as 500 people. The A380 will carry 555 passengers in a standard three-class configuration.