Aircraft

ILFC to defer its Airbus A380 order until at least 2013, ditching freighter variants for passenger configuration

By Max Kingsley-Jones

US lessor International Lease Finance (ILFC) has deferred its order for 10 Airbus A380s to 2013 and beyond, as part of a major renegotiation deal that includes the switch of its freighters to passenger aircraft.

Airbus chief operating officer customers John Leahy told flightglobal.com in Paris today that the ILFC deal was renegotiated last month. "We've agreed to defer the A380s until 2013-14," he said. "ILFC always had the right to switch its five freighters to the passenger version and they've exercised that right."

It marks a further blow to the A380 freighter programme, leaving cargo carrier UPS – with its order for ten – as the only customer for the type, after Emirates and FedEx cancelled their orders.

The lessor had originally been expecting to take A380s as early as next year. It had previously announced the placement of two passenger aircraft to Emirates. Leahy says Airbus is in talks with the airline about its taking those two A380s directly.

ILFC was also in talks last year to place a pair of A380s with Air China. The lessor was unavailable for comment.