Virgin Atlantic has put back delivery of the Airbus A380 super jumbo jet by four years to 2013.
The airline has extended leases on a number of existing Boeing 747-400s to meet its fleet needs and future growth plans.
Virgin has an order for six A380s but delays have hit deliveries of the aircraft to carriers worldwide.
Virgin confirmed it had reached agreement in principle with Airbus to defer deliveries of its A380s until 2013.
“By then, we believe the A380 will have proven its innovative design over several years in commercial service,” a statement said.
“The deferral will also enable Airbus to prioritise production and deliveries for its launch customers, such as Singapore Airlines.”
Report by Phil Davies
