Superjumbo future in doubt

÷ A YEAR after Airbus won what appeared to be a lifesaving order for its A380 double-decker, the flagship programme’s future is once again on the line.

Gulf carrier Emirates may convert some or all of its most recent 20 superjumbo orders into smaller A350s, sources said. That would slash the backlog and lead Airbus to kill off a plane that’s had limited interest from other airlines, just 11 years after it entered commercial service. The European planemaker would keep the A380 going until other outstanding orders for the model were fulfilled, mostly from an earlier Emirates deal, sources said.