Virgin Atlantic delays A380 arrivals

LONDON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Virgin Atlantic, the British airline, has decided to push back delivery of four Airbus SA A380 super-jumbo jets.

The carrier had ordered six of the jets for delivery in 2009, but now wants to delay their arrival till 2013, the BBC said Thursday.

In response to speculation the move is a prelude to canceling the order, Virgin Atlantic insisted it intends to go ahead with buying the big planes. But the airline also said it wants the aircraft to prove itself in commercial service for several years before it puts its own A380s into operation.

For the time being, Virgin Atlantic will extend its leases on Boeing 747-400s.