EADS sees signs of Asian recovery

EADS sees signs of Asian recovery

MADRID: The European Aerospace Defense and Space Co. sees some signs of a recovery in the global aircraft industry, particularly in Asia, the Spanish business daily Expansion reported on Monday, quoting EADS chief executive Rainer Hertrich.

In an interview with Expansion, Hertrich said that while the crisis "is not over yet, there are strong signs of a recovery in some areas such as Asia," where Airbus has been asked "to speed up deliveries that had been put on hold."

"The U.S. may be behind and could perk up a bit later, but we're convinced that its market will grow," he said.

"There is no reason for mergers (such as an announced alliance between Air France and Dutch carrier KLM) to affect" Airbus programs such as the planned extra-large A380 jet, Hertrich added.

EADS owns 80 percent of the European aircraft maker Airbus, with the rest held by BAE Systems of Britain. -- AFP