UPDATE 1-Airbus says sticking to A380 delivery targets
(Adds Airbus comment)
PARIS, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Airbus is sticking to its target of delivering 12 of its A380 superjumbo aircraft by the end of the year, the European planemaker said on Monday, after a French newspaper reported the programme was facing further delays.
Weekly newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche reported on Sunday that the company, a unit of EADS (EAD.PA), had revised its delivery target for the year to between eight and 10 aircraft, citing a source close to the matter.
The A380 programme has been hit by major production problems linked with installing wiring on the doubledecker aircraft, leading to a series of delays.
Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI), the first airline to operate the aircraft, received its first A380 18 months late in October 2007. Emirates, the A380's biggest customer, received the first of 58 A380s it has ordered in July this year.
An Airbus spokesman said there had been no changes to the A380 delivery plan since its last revision in May, when the company cut its delivery objectives to 12 aircraft from 13 for 2008 and to 21 from 25 for 2009.
It was the fourth time the manufacturer had announced delays in delivering the aircraft, which sell at $300 million at list prices.
Airbus is due to deliver the first of 20 A380s Australia's Qantas (QAN.AX) has ordered on Friday.
The company has a total of 192 firm orders for the A380 on its books. (Reporting by Helen Massy-Beresford; Editing by David Holmes)
