EADS admitted yesterday that there would be further costly delays in the early deliveries of the A380 superjumbo, deepening the crisis facing Europe's largest aerospace and defence group.

Amid growing anger from some of its leading airline customers, EADS, the Airbus parent company, said the group was still struggling to overcome problems in bringing the aircraft, the largest passenger jet built, into series production.

It said that "continuing industrialisation challenges with the wiring of the production aircraft have been identified and are being tackled. Consequently, from what is known today, there will be further delays."

Emirates, the Dubai-based carrier which accounts for nearly one-third of the 159 firm orders for the A380, expressed its frustration over the announcement of the delays.

Tim Clark, president of Emirates, said the airline had "taken no position with regards to cancellation, compensation, damages etc". He said the airline was "concerned primarily with establishing exactly when the aircraft will be delivered into the company". The spectre of order cancellations is hanging over Airbus, as it struggles to rebuild its credibility. "This is the final shot," said one insider.