Airbus director hints at more A380 delays

PARIS, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Airbus SA will likely face more delays in getting its A380 superjumbo jetliner to customers, a company director says.

Mike Turner, head of BAE Systems PLC, holds one of two board seats reserved for the big British military contractor, which is selling its 20 percent stake in Airbus.

Turner says the A380's latest delivery delay of one year could be lengthened even further, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

He said "all the ingredients are there" for additional delays, although "nobody knows" yet if they will materialize.

Airbus's new chief executive, Christian Streiff, has ordered a review and analysis of the A380 project, which could uncover more production glitches.

Turner said his talks with Streiff leads him to conclude that the company has "not yet determined" whether those tests turned up additional items that must be corrected before the first planes are delivered.

"I'd be surprised if there weren't" more delays, Turner said.