UPS last month cancelledits order for the cargo versionof the Airbus A380 becausethe aircraft would not bedelivered soon enough.

The world’s largest packagecarrier had been the onlycustomer for the freighterversion after FedEx earliercancelled its order.

Originally, 10 freighterswere to be delivered to UPSbetween 2009 and 2012, withoptions for 10 more.

After discussions with theEuropean aircraft manufacturerUPS received a reviseddelivery schedule, whichdelayed the first plane until2012. Although UPS initiallysaid that the 2012 deliverywas "a reasonable estimate",the company later found outthat Airbus had suspendedwork on the freighter to focuson the passenger A380.

In a prepared statement,UPS chief operating officer,David Abney said that theintegrator was "no longerconfident" that Airbus couldadhere to that schedule andsubsequently announced theofficial cancellation of thecontract.

Separately, Airbus announcedthat work on thefreighter will resume in thefuture.