Delays to A380 production will cost Airbus 4.8bn euros

Qantas is now expecting delivery of 20 A380s between 2008 and 2015 after ordering a further eight of the planes.

Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon said the decision to raise the order had been made after an "extensive review" of recent problems at Airbus.

Earlier this month, Airbus warned problems would delay A380 deliveries by almost two years.

The plane-maker now expects to deliver the first aircraft to Singapore Airlines in October 2007.

Costly delays

Wiring problems with the A380 have forced Airbus - owned by European group EADS - to issue three warnings of delays in the past two years.

The delays are expected to cost the company 4.8bn euros ($6.1bn; �3.2bn) over the next four years.

Mr Dixon said that following a review, Qantas had decided that the planes were best suited to its long-haul flights from Australia to the UK, US and Europe.

He added: "We are convinced that these problems relate to industrialisation issues at Airbus and will be remedied, and in no way relate to the technical capacity of the A380."

Mr Dixon also announced that it had agreed a new contract for the A380s, which included any further delays in the plane's delivery schedule.