Emirates airline, the biggest buyer of the "superjumbo" Airbus A380, said Wednesday it is considering increasing its order for the double-decker plane despite delays on existing orders.

Speaking ahead of next week's Dubai Air Show, Emirates Chairman and Chief Executive Sheik Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum told reporters the Dubai-based carrier is looking to boost its commitment beyond the 58 it has already requested _ the most booked by any airline.

"We are considering that, actually," he said when asked about additional orders. "We're actually looking at the market as very positive for the next few years ... We are always one of the first-movers to take advantage of the market."

A fresh commitment from Emirates could be a boon for Airbus, which along with U.S. rival Boeing Co. has faced a slowdown in aircraft orders as the economic downturn convinces carriers to put off purchases and delay expansion plans.

Fast-growing Emirates last week reported a fiscal first-half profit of nearly $205 million, well over double its earnings for the same period a year earlier.

The state-owned airline, the Middle East's largest, ranks among the world's biggest international airlines, both in terms of people carried and miles flown.

It is the world's leading operator of Boeing's twin-engine, wide-body 777 jet.

For the time being, however, Emirates says it is facing delays with some of the A380s it has already requested. Just five of the planes have been delivered to Emirates so far.

Sheik Ahmed did not provide an exact timeframe or say how many deliveries have been pushed back, though he acknowledged "there is a bit of delay." He said the changes affected deliveries by a matter of months, not years.

The blame for the late deliveries, he said, rested with Airbus, not Emirates.

"Sometimes we are not happy about it because we want the aircraft to be delivered on time," he said. Continued...