Airbus CEO says won't end year with unwanted planes

Gordon Werner · 12-13-2001, 03:20 PM

Thursday December 13, 4:17 am Eastern Time

Airbus CEO says won't end year with unwanted planes

PARIS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus SAS does not expect to end the year with planes in production or completed still awaiting a buyer, the company's chief executive Noel Forgeard said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday.

The September 11 airliner hijack attacks, which turned a slowdown in the airline sector into a slump and led to the collapse of European carriers Swissair and Sabena, raised fears that Airbus and its rival Boeing would be left to deal with a costly backlog of unwanted aircraft.

Though Airbus has been forced to freeze capacity growth and cut its delivery forecast for 2002 to 300 planes from 375 before September 11, the company maintains it can still remain profitable.

Forgeard said that Airbus, which has registered 350 orders so far this year, had lowered its output plan for next year by rescheduling deliveries and avoiding any outright cancellations.

Airbus has agreed to delay the delivery of 44 planes for UAL Corp's United Airlines next year while medium-range planes due to be acquired by Sabena would be taken by leasing company GATX, Forgeard told business daily Les Echos.

"For Swissair the situation is difficult and we are working hard to reallocate about 15 planes due for delivery between 2002 and 2005 to other customers," he said. "We will not finish the year with any "white tails", that is to say unallocated planes."

Forgeard said that U.S. government aid for Boeing amounted to a ``Boeing Marshall Plan'' and criticised European authorities for being too slow to respond.

"At a moment when Boeing is receiving major aid for its refuelling plan, we are responding to a tender from the RAF (Royal Air Force) for about thirty planes of this type and the competition is cut-throat," he said.

"Brussels and most of the European states are reacting very limply."

Toulouse-based Airbus is owned by European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co NV and UK defence compay BAE Systems Plc.

Wingman · 12-14-2001, 03:14 PM

I seriously doubt this as would any sane individual who follows the airline industry.

What about all of those used A319/20/21s as well as A330/340s from Swissair, Sabena, Canada 3000 and others?

12-13-2001, 03:20 PM	#1
Gordon Werner Insane Collector Join Date: Jun 1998 Location: Somewhere else Age: 37 Posts: 2,059	Airbus CEO says won't end year with unwanted planes Thursday December 13, 4:17 am Eastern Time Airbus CEO says won't end year with unwanted planes PARIS, Dec 13 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus SAS does not expect to end the year with planes in production or completed still awaiting a buyer, the company's chief executive Noel Forgeard said in a newspaper interview published on Thursday. The September 11 airliner hijack attacks, which turned a slowdown in the airline sector into a slump and led to the collapse of European carriers Swissair and Sabena, raised fears that Airbus and its rival Boeing would be left to deal with a costly backlog of unwanted aircraft. Though Airbus has been forced to freeze capacity growth and cut its delivery forecast for 2002 to 300 planes from 375 before September 11, the company maintains it can still remain profitable. Forgeard said that Airbus, which has registered 350 orders so far this year, had lowered its output plan for next year by rescheduling deliveries and avoiding any outright cancellations. Airbus has agreed to delay the delivery of 44 planes for UAL Corp's United Airlines next year while medium-range planes due to be acquired by Sabena would be taken by leasing company GATX, Forgeard told business daily Les Echos. "For Swissair the situation is difficult and we are working hard to reallocate about 15 planes due for delivery between 2002 and 2005 to other customers," he said. "We will not finish the year with any "white tails", that is to say unallocated planes." Forgeard said that U.S. government aid for Boeing amounted to a ``Boeing Marshall Plan'' and criticised European authorities for being too slow to respond. "At a moment when Boeing is receiving major aid for its refuelling plan, we are responding to a tender from the RAF (Royal Air Force) for about thirty planes of this type and the competition is cut-throat," he said. "Brussels and most of the European states are reacting very limply." Toulouse-based Airbus is owned by European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co NV and UK defence compay BAE Systems Plc.

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12-14-2001, 03:14 PM	#2
Wingman Registered User Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Bangor, ME Age: 34 Posts: 429	I seriously doubt this as would any sane individual who follows the airline industry. What about all of those used A319/20/21s as well as A330/340s from Swissair, Sabena, Canada 3000 and others?