At least two Chinese airlines are expected to begin using the world's biggest civil aircraft A380 from Europe's Airbus to serve the Olympic Games.

A senior official from Airbus China indicated in Beijing that China Southern Airlines had ordered five A380s in January and that two of them would be put to use by the end of 2007, and the other one in the first half of 2008. Besides, there are more and more Chinese airlines showing interest in the A380 super jumbo.

China imported the first Airbus in 1985 and there are now more than 270 Airbuses serving the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. Airbus has also invested US$80 million in establishing an advanced training and support center for China.

Five Chinese aviation companies currently produce wing parts and doors for Airbus.

(Xinhua News Agency March 15, 2005)