Airbus may cut A380 output

Order shortage: A British Airways A380 landing at Heathrow airport in London. Airbus is experiencing a dearth of orders for the airliner. – Reuters

MEXICO CITY: Airbus SE is planning a further cut in build rates for the beleaguered A380 superjumbo airliner amid a continuing dearth of new orders for the 525-seat behemoth.

Airbus is assessing how best to drop output below the 12 planes a year, known as “rate one”, that the company said in July should be sustainable from 2018, the manufacturer’s head of programmes said Monday in Cancun, Mexico. A decision will be made before the end of this year in the absence of further sales.