NIX LAX – Where will it land?? InNew York or Los Angeles??

A war of words broke out last monthbetween satisfied JKF airport officialsand extremely angry Los Angeles(LAX) airport executives, when thelatter accused Airbus that it had renegedon a promise to bring its newshiny A380 to LAX on its first US testflight. Airbus last month announcedthat the A380 would fly from Frankfurtto JFK in New York on March 19, fromwhere it will go to Chicago’s O’Harethe next day.

The jet will then fly from Frankfurtto Washington’s Dulles on March 25.

Allan McArtor, chairman of AirbusNorth America publicly promised lastyear that he would bring the A380to Los Angeles on its maiden US testflight, if plans for a US$9 million gatemodification at the Tom Bradley InternationalTerminal were expedited.LAX claims it is now more than readyto receive the A380.

That flight initially was set for August2006, but as we all know the planeexperienced some technical problems,forcing Airbus to delay deliveries toairlines.

Airlines that have ordered A380s andhave flights to LAX also were under theimpression that its first American stopwould be in Los Angeles.

LAX officials had planned a mediaextravaganza to welcome the first testflight, hoping it would give a publicrelations boost to the airport.

To make things even more complicated,Airbus said that it decided totake the A380 to JFK and O’Hare at therequest of Lufthansa Airlines.

But, oh dear, oh dear, a Lufthansaspokeswoman claimed that Airbus wasoperationally responsible for theseflights.