Airbus A380 program could be 'sustainable' after Emirates purchase, top exec says
- The Airbus A380 superjumbo will be made for at least the next decade and could become "sustainable" thanks to Emirates' recent order, a senior executive has said.
- Didier Evrard, executive vice president head of programs at Airbus, spoke to CNBC as his company delivered its first A350-1000 to Qatar Airways Tuesday.
The Airbus A380 will continue to be made for at least another 10 years and could become a "sustainable program," a senior executive has told CNBC.
Didier Evrard, executive vice president head of programs at Airbus, confirmed that Emirates' decision in January to purchase 20 of the superjumbos had secured the future of the program.
"I think this order was extremely important to secure the life of the program for another 10 years, at least — and probably much more. It gives us the potential now to have a sustainable program," he said.
Emirates has 96 A380s in its fleet, more than any other airline. It also has a further 46 on order, according to its website.
Evrard also said that the smaller A350-1000 aircraft faces no danger of direct competition from Boeing's 777 and 787 jets.
"We are confident that we have a market," Evrard said. "We are confident that we have the right pricing today."
Evrard was talking to CNBC from the Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France. On Tuesday, the company delivered its first A350-1000 plane to Qatar Airways.