Airbus will end production of the A380, with deliveries ceasing in 2021 due to Emirates reducing its order book, aircraft development and the lack of order backlog.

Emirates and Airbus reached an agreement on outstanding A380 deliveries, with the airline receiving 14 more A380s from 2019 to 2021, taking its total order book to 123 units, reducing its orders from 162.

Tom Enders, chief executive officer of Airbus says: “As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021.”

He describes the decision as “painful”, but adds: “Keep in mind that A380s will still roam the skies for many years to come and Airbus will of course continue to fully support the A380 operators.”

Having reached the A380 agreement, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline Group says: “Emirates has been a staunch supporter of the A380 since its very inception. While we are disappointed to have to give up our order, and sad that the programme could not be sustained, we accept that this is the reality of the situation.”

Emirates has also ordered 40 Airbus A330-900s and 30 A350-900s, with the Sheikh saying: “The 40 A330neos and 30 A350s that we are ordering today will complement Emirates’ fleet mix, support our network growth, and give us more flexibility to better serve seasonal or opportunistic demand.”

Guillaume Faury, president of Airbus Commercial Aircraft and future Airbus CEO says: “The A380 is Emirates’ flagship and has contributed to the airline’s success for more than ten years. As much as we regret the airline’s position, selecting the A330neo and A350 for its future growth is a great endorsement of our very competitive widebody aircraft family.”