A380 delay puts brakes on A350 XWB formal launch at Airbus

[mpenguin1]

Meanwhile, industry sources say that the October launch target set at the A350 XWB’s Farnborough unveiling could now slip into next year as the bulk of Airbus’s engineering resources have been deployed into resolving the ongoing A380 production delays.

Airbus says that it “remains committed to the XWB and the objective remains [to launch in] October, or in any case before year-end”. Flight International understands that at least one key A380 customer has told Airbus to put the A350 to one side and keep its focus on the A380 in the near term. But any further launch slip is likely to push the A350’s service entry beyond the mid-2012 target set for the initial -800 model, and Airbus is anxious not to hand further advantage to the rival 787.



http://www.flightglobal.com/Articles...launch+at.html