Airbus to stop A380 superjumbo production as sales slump

The damaged right-hand wing-tip of the Airbus A380, the world's largest jetliner with a wingspan of almost 80 metres, is seen on the tarmac during the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget airport, near Paris, June 20, 2011. [REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol]

Europe’s Airbus is scrapping production of the A380 superjumbo, with lackluster sales forcing it to abandon a dream of dominating the skies with a 21st century cruiseliner.

The world’s largest airliner, with two decks of spacious cabins and room for 544 people in standard layout, was designed to challenge Boeing’s legendary 747 but failed to take hold as airlines backed a new generation of smaller, nimbler jets.