The gigantic new Airbus A380 passenger jet debuts in the United States this week, in a promotional tour that belies the fact that U.S. airlines have not rushed to order the plane. The super-jumbo jet has double-deck seating for 555 travelers, but most of the orders for it have come from overseas, in Asia and the Middle East.
Airbus sent two of the planes out, one to New York the other to Los Angeles. The company said it wants to give the airports a chance to make sure they are ready for the new plane. But it also gave potential customers and a few journalists a look at the world's largest passenger jet.
Airbus needs the $300-million-dollar plane to be a success, despite the fact that it's already two years behind its production schedule. The project is more than $6 billion in debt.
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