Un nouveau retard?
Published 9:00 pm Monday, April 3, 2006
Le Figaro in Paris http://www.lefigaro.fr/eco-entreprises/20060404.FIG000000104_l_airbus_a_prend_un_nouveau_retard.html reports that the A380s Airbus is building for Emirates will be delayed another three months due to engine problems.
Now I speak just enough French to puzzle out the headlines online. (As in: “Scarlett Johansson, la plus sexy du monde,” which is something that certainly does not get Lost in Translation.) But according to a standard machine translation of the story, the problem is with the new engines being developed by an alliance of GE, Pratt &Whitney and Snecma.
Key (translated) Quote: “Initially, these A380 were to be ready for March 2007. According to close relations’ of the file, Emirates will thus wait a quarter more for one question of engines.”
The delay “will justify a new confidential negotiation of compensation between Airbus and Emirates,” the paper said.
The first planes for Singapore Airlines remain on track for year’s end, Le Figaro reports. They’re being powered by Rolls-Royce. However, “Noel Forgeard, co-president, acknolwedged that it will be a true industrial exploit to deliver these two first A380 by the end 2006.”
Airbus is strongly denying the report, according to Reuters, http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2006-04-04T151529Z_01_L04664132_RTRUKOC_0_UK-TRANSPORT-AIRBUS-EMIRATES.xml&archived=False which quotes an Airbus spokeswoman who insists the delivery to Singapore Airlines will come on time next spring.
Key Quote: “‘We always said spring 2007 and it remains spring 2007,’ she added.”
If true, the Le Figaro report would mark the second delay in delivering the A380, which already is about six months behind schedule. “DEFINITELY,” the newspaper reports, “the future European jumbo plays of bad luck.”
