Hong Kong Airlines might cancel A380 order

Cracks in the wings of the Airbus A380 have prompted Hong Kong Airlines to consider canceling its order for 10 Airbus A380 superjumbos.

The airline said there was as yet no final decision and this will depend on how the business and the external environment evolves in the future.
Its action was triggered when EADS, parent company of Airbus, discovered cracks in the wings of several A380s.

CEO Tom Enders said last month he expected deliveries of A380s next year to be less than the 30 that the company had been anticipating as a result of airlines putting orders on hold while the crack issue is resolved.

Hong Kong Airlines is the third biggest carrier based on passenger numbers. It recently cut long-haul flights to Moscow and announced the suspension of all-business class flights to London.

Executives say the strategy is to focus on short-haul regional routes between Hong Kong and other leisure destinations in Asia, including Phuket, Sanya and Osaka. The airline will eventually have an all Airbus fleet.