Airbus delivers 11th A380 to Qantas, aims for 12 this year

Airbus SAS today handed over its 11th A380 superjumbo to Qantas Airways Ltd. of Australia.

Airframe serial number MSN022 was registered VH-OQC and christened Paul McGinness.

The plane was the third A380 for Qantas this year, Airbus spokesman Stefan Schaffrath said in an interview to Bloomberg.

The first two VH-OQA (Nancy-Bird Walton) and VH-OQB (Hudson Fysh) have been operating between Melbourne and Sydney and Los Angeles. Qantas is expected to deploy Paul McGinness on the “Kangaroo Run” between Sydney and London, starting in January 2009.

With just four days left in 2008, Airbus, the world’s largest maker of commercial aircraft, is scrambling to make one more delivery, in order to reach its goal of 12 deliveries this year.

That aircraft is expected to be delivered to Emirates, its largest customer for the A380, by Dec. 31, Schaffrath said.

Five A380’s are already in operation with launch customer Singapore Airlines, and three with Emirates.

About Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

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