(Reuters) – Doric Lease Corp expects to finalize an order for 20 Airbus A380 superjumbo jets in the next couple of months, a senior executive said on Monday.

The Dublin-based leasing firm placed the order, worth $8 billion at list prices, at last year’s Paris Airshow, hoping to find new customers for the world’s largest airliner following a period of slack sales.

In a separate move, Emirates airline subsequently placed a firm order for 50 of the aircraft. But while that order has been confirmed, Doric’s purchase remains to be finalized and is widely seen as depending on airlines agreeing to lease it.

“Airbus has said it expects to have the order finalized in the next couple of months. That is where we are and where we expect to be,” Paul Kent, chief commercial officer, told a conference hosted by Airline Economics.

“We will have news relatively quickly on completion,” he added.

Doric has made progress in placing the aircraft it plans to order, Kent added, but declined to give details.

The 525-seat, four-engined A380 was hailed as the answer to crowded airports and scarce landing slots when it was launched at the turn of the century.

But sales have failed so far to reach the potential identified by Airbus after the industry turned its attention to the latest generation of smaller twin-engined aircraft.

Kent said predictions of increased congestion and urbanization would ultimately prove the case for the A380.

SOURCE REUTERS, Read More.. Photo: M. van Leeuwen Z.A.P.P.