Airbus to cut output of slow-selling A380 superjumbo

Airbus plans to cut production of its A380 superjumbo from 2017 as it struggles to revive sales of the jet, two industry sources said. It has told its suppliers to slow production to support an assembly rate of 1.7 aircraft per month from next year, compared with production of just over 2 a month now, the sources said. The exact month in which the slowdown would be felt in the Toulouse assembly plant was not immediately clear. The company does not publish production figures for its biggest model, but only targets deliveries. Sales of large 4-engine airliners like the 544-seat A380 have been hit by improvements in the range and efficiency of smaller 2-engined models, which can be easier to fill. Airbus says the double-decker is becoming more attractive due to lower oil prices and also helps to solve airport congestion. <br/>