China Southern delays A380s and 787s

CHINA Southern Airlines is to delay delivery of 13 787s and five A380s in a bid to save US$1 billion. The aircraft will now be delivered in 2011. The company is also in negotiations to delay four 777Fs that were also expected this year.

China Southern won a 3 billion yuan ($439 million) capital injection from the government last year but is still lobbying for more to cut debts.

“How much we can get is up to the government,” said chairman Si Xianmin.

The delays will be problematic for Airbus and Boeing. Although they have both strongly denied that the recent rush by carriers to delay or cancel orders is not a concern, they had been hoping that China’s aviation industry would help see them through the tough economic climate.

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