Air Transport

British Airways has pushed back its Airbus A380 delivery schedule, with some later aircraft being postponed by at least two years.

BA has 12 A380s on order, but says it has "extended" the arrival schedule for the first six by an average of five months.

The first A380 is still expected to arrive in spring 2012, ahead of the London Olympic Games. But delivery of the final six aircraft has been extended by an average of two years until autumn 2016.

Previously, deliveries of four aircraft a year were planned, with all 12 arriving by autumn 2014.

Introduction of BA's other new type, the 787, has already been delayed from 2010 to 2012 due to Boeing's earlier programme issues, and talks are ongoing about how the latest problems will affect its schedule, says the airline.

It adds that "we'll take it from there" on what it will do about any possible delivery deferral.

Meanwhile, BA will ground its last three 757 -200s in summer 2010 and another three 747-400s in winter next year. All the fleet changes follow a review of BA's business plan in the "challenging economic conditions".