European aerospace group EADS faces a "major crisis" following its disclosure of delays to the A380 aircraft which sent its stock plunging yesterday, French shareholder and co-chairman Arnaud Lagardere said today.
The Frenchman, whose media group halved its stake in EADS to 7.5 per cent earlier this year, told Le Mondenewspaper in an interview that he would not look for scapegoats or force through sackings over the sudden deterioration in delivery plans.
But he said it was right to question how much Airbus chief executive Gustav Humbert had known about the internal situation at Airbus, while the position of EADS co-CEO Noel Forgeard was something he would discuss with German co-chairman Manfred Bischoff.
"We are facing a major crisis and I put myself in the position of shareholders and analysts who do not understand this new delay," Mr Lagardere was quoted as saying.
He also said Mr Lagardere and key German shareholder DaimlerChrysler did not know about the extra six-month delays to A380 deliveries before deciding recently to reduce their stakes.
He declined to comment on the decision of several EADS top executives including Mr Forgeard to exercise stock options in March, saying it was a matter for them. EADS stock slumped 26 per cent on Wednesday and partially recovered 2.6 per cent on Thursday.