Tom Enders, Airbus Group Chief Executive Officer during the annual press conference confirmed the Airbus A380 program will break-even in ...
Earlier estimates predicted a 2017 break-even timeframe for the $25 billion program that began in 1994.
Strategy shift due to arrival of medium capacity fuel efficient jetliners like Airbus A350 and Boeing 787 has reduced demand for the very large aircraft like A380 and the pioneer Boeing 747.
Lack of demand has forced Airbus to look into neo(new engine option) and stretched variants of A380.
The program has a total 318 orders so far placed by 19 customers, and current production is running at 30 per year. Backlog at the end of January 2015 was for 164 aircraft.
In 2014, the program won no new orders and key customers like Air France and Lufthansa reduced their commitments while the first Japanese customer Skymark cancelled its orders for six A380s.
Airbus Group revenues increased five percent in 2014 to a record € 60.7 billion (FY 2013: € 57.6 billion(1)). Commercial Aircraft revenues rose seven percent, driven by the overall increase in deliveries to a record 629 aircraft (FY 2013: 626 deliveries) and a more favourable delivery mix including 30 A380s compared to 25 in 2013.
