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Frankfurt, Paris: Aircraft maker Airbus may run into problems selling some of its factory sites, and could be forced to further delay some deliveries of its A380 superjumbo, according to German media reports.
The divestment of French plants in Meaulte and St Nazaire Ville to aerospace firm Latecoere may be terminated as fin-ancing the deal could be difficult in current market conditions, German daily Die Welt reported on Saturday, quoting Airbus Chief Operating Officer Fabrice Bregier.
"The economic environment combined with tension in the financial markets and the alarming decline of the dollar compared to the euro exist for Latecoere too," it quoted Bregier as saying. A decision will be taken in May, Bregier added.
A spokeswoman at Airbus declined to comment.
Latecoere is in exclusive negotiations to buy control of two Airbus factories at Meaulte in northern France and Saint-Nazaire in western France.
Die Welt and German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche also said Airbus may have to further delay deliveries of its A380 superjumbo, the world's largest airliner. The magazine said, citing an insider, Airbus would not be able to meet its target of delivering 25 planes in 2009 due to mounting production problems, and that the company had already informed customers of the delay in a letter.
Asked for a reaction, the spokeswoman at Airbus cited comments Chief Executive Tom Enders made on Tuesday in the UAE on the A380 superjumbo's delivery targets.
'No delay on dreamliner'
Boeing denied a German media report on Saturday it had informed customers of another delay on its new 787 Dreamliner model.
"There has been no change since our announcement in April," said Yvonne Leach, a spokeswoman in Seattle, adding that, on average, delays would put deliveries about 20 months behind schedule.
German daily Die Welt reported on Saturday, quoting a letter from Boeing to customers, the delay would affect deliveries planned for 2012 and push them 27 months behind schedule.
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