Australia's Qantas delaying A380 deliveries

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian carrier Qantas (QAN.AX) is delaying delivery of two new Airbus A380s to help cut capital spending by A$400 million ($410.7 million) while it increases capacity on its more profitable domestic operations.

Delivery of the two Airbus A380s, originally intended for early 2013, will be put back to 2016/17, with a final six A380s delivered from 2018/19.

Qantas said in February it would cut capital spending by A$500 million over two years and announced plans to cut 500 jobs after its first-half profit halved. A bitter industrial dispute and higher fuel bills took their toll on profits.

The additional A$400 million announced on Friday will take capital expenditure cuts to A$900 million. Capital expenditure will now total A$1.9 billion, the company said.
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