What Airlines Have Ordered The A380

Airbus A380 order forced under wraps over China-EU emissions spat

The emissions trading rules, which already apply to heavily-polluting industries such as energy companies, will apply to airlines from January 2012. Companies pay for every tonne of carbon dioxide they emit over a certain level.

The EU is determined to make all airlines flying into Europe pay, not just the local carriers, and the move has drawn opposition from China and the US. US airlines are bringing a lawsuit challenging the legal basis for the plan.

Tom Enders, Airbus chief executive, wrote to the EU climate commissioner earlier this month warning that the carbon emissions scheme could spark trade disputes.

"It is madness to risk retaliation" from the large trading partners of the EU, he said.

A decision to keep the A380 order under wraps would be the biggest sign yet of China's displeasure at being made to pay for its emissions.

However Boeing also revealed at the show it had two undisclosed orders, one of which was understood to be from Hong Kong Airlines, for 747-8s, the latest version of the original jumbo jet.

Airbus also announced at the show earlier this week that the first of the five A380s ordered for the China Southern airline had left the paint shop in Hamburg, bringing it a step closer to delivery.

Airbus has enjoyed a successful relationship with China, one of the fastest-growing civil aircraft markets in the world. It has had a final assembly line in China since 2008, the first it has opened outside Europe.

First China Southern A380 Seen Painted as Carrier Confirms E-Jet Lease

In other news, this time coming out of the Paris Airshow , China Southern Airlines has confirmed it will add 20 Embraer 190s to its fleet.

China Southern will lease the General Electric CF34-10E-powered Embraer 190s from China Development Bank (CDB) Leasing , which placed two orders for batches of 10 Embraer 190s earlier this year. Deliveries of China Southern’s Embraer 190s will begin this year.

“China Southern Airlines and GE Aviation have enjoyed a successful relationship, with the airline being the launch customer for the GE90-powered Boeing 777 in Asia,” says Kevin McAllister, vice president and general manager, global sales at GE Aviation. “The CF34-10E engine line set the standard for reliability in regional aviation and we know that China Southern will be very pleased with this selection.”

“We are confident in the performance and reliability of GE’s CF34 engines,” says Dong Suguang, vice president of China Southern Airlines. “The CF34-10E-powered E190 will be a great fit for our business expansion in the northwest region, especially in Xinjiang area.”

SkyTeam-alliance member China Southern is the biggest carrier in China and was the sixth-largest in the world in terms of the number of passengers carried. (China Southern carried 76.5 million passengers in 2010.) The Guangzhou-based carrier operates more than 600 domestic and international routes.

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