Airbus Is Selling Its Original Fleet of Flying Whales
An Airbus BelugaXL wing transporter aircraft in Broughton, Feb. 14, 2019.
Photographer: Darren Staples/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Airbus SE will swell its fleet of Beluga XL wing transporters to six aircraft and is beginning to sound out potential buyers for the original version of the bulbous model.
The Airbus board has agreed to add an extra Beluga -- named for its resemblance to the dome-headed white whale -- to the original specification for five in order to shuttle more parts around Europe as jetliner build rates increase, program chief Bernard George said in an interview.