Thailand's national flag carrier Thai Airways (THAI) may cancel its order of new A380 superjumbos from Europe's leading aircraft manufacturer Airbus if talks on fines for 22-month delay of the first delivery remain unsettled, THAI president Apinan Sumanaseni said on Wednesday.

 

Apinan said the delay has caused a huge revenue loss for the airliner as the first delivery is 22 months behind schedule, now set for 2011 due to Airbus' production problems.

 

THAI has ordered six of the 555-seat planes. It has planned to use the giant planes to service passengers on its popular routes to major European cities.

 

"THAI has to review its financial plan after an expected revenue loss as it is unable to service the new superjumbos from Bangkok to London, Frankfurt and Paris as earlier planned," Apinan said.

 

Apinan made the comments a day after the world's largest plane carrying 55 passengers and a crew of five made its first arrival in the kingdom on Tuesday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 7, 2006)