Airbus names new A380 manager; EADS stock falls

Published 10:09 am Thursday, July 10, 2008

Airbus shuffled around its leaders Thursday, appointing a new head of its A380 aircraft program.

The European plane maker put Alain Flourens in charge of the A380 superjumbo jet. Flourens formerly served as executive vice president of the A320 program, Airbus said in press statement.

The shares of Airbus’ parent company, EADS, fell 4.6 percent in trading in Paris, after the Pentagon said yesterday that EADS and Northrop would have to rebid a $35 billion tanker contract. Airbus rival Boeing will compete for the lucrative deal as well.