Laurent Rouaud, Airbus’ senior vice president for market and product strategy said that European aircraft maker Airbus has received only "’very minimal" requests from Chinese airlines to defer or cancel aircraft orders amid one of the worst ever downturns for the airline industry.For good and proper commercial reasons he declined to elaborate on the company’s discussions with Chinese airlines, but said order cancellations and deferrals from all its customers have been very low.
He also said he believes Airbus’ share of the commercial aircraft market in China will rise further from the current 40%.
China’s aviation regulator in December urged its airlines to cancel or postpone aircraft deliveries scheduled for 2009 to counter weakening travel amid the global economic slowdown.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China also urged Chinese airlines to let their aircraft leasing agreements with foreign companies run out.
Wall Street Journal Online quoted Laurent Rouaud as saying, "We see good signs for a recovery but we remain pretty cautious for 2010."
He said the company expects to deliver China Southern Airlines first A380 Superjumbo aircraft in 2011. The airline, which is the only Chinese carrier to order the large jet, has five of the aircraft on order.
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