PARIS, Nov 18, 2010 (AFP) - European aircraft maker Airbus said Thursday it would seek compensation from Rolls Royce after one of the British manufacturer's engines failed on a Qantas Airbus A380 superjumbo.

"We will seek financial compensation from Rolls Royce," an Airbus spokesman said.

"Our production is currently far from normal" and Airbus is incurring additional costs because of the problem with the engine, he said.

The spokesman did not give any figures.

In London, a Rolls Royce spokesman said the company had "no comment" to make on the Airbus statement.

Qantas of Australia said earlier Thursday that Rolls-Royce could have replace up to 40 engines on A380 superjumbos operated by various airlines.

"Rolls may have to look at replacing up to 40 engines across the entire A380 fleet," a Qantas spokeswoman told AFP.

Qantas grounded its six A380s powered by Rolls Royce Trent 900 engines after one was forced to make an emergency landing in Singapore on November 4 after one blew out.

Rolls Royce said last week that the failure of a "specific component in the turbine area of the engine" caused the fire and mid-air blowout on the Qantas flight shortly after it took off for Sydney.

In the wake of the emergency, the European Aviation Safety Agency ordered airlines to carry out new inspections of the Rolls-Royce engines.

The double-decker A380, which carries 525 passengers and weighs 560 tonnes at takeoff, was hailed as the future of long-haul aviation at its commercial launch in 2007.

Earlier Thursday, German flag carrier Lufthansa said it would change a second Rolls-Royce engine on one of its four Airbus A380s.

Singapore Airlines (SIA), which operates 11 of the planes, said that it was inspecting the Rolls-Royce engines on its A380s and would replace them if advised to do so by the manufacturers.

"Under this inspection regime, as and when engines need to be replaced as advised by our manufacturers, we have been doing so and will continue to do so, to ensure the safe and continuous operation of the fleet," SIA said.

Air France and Emirates also operate the A380 but their aircraft are powered by engines made by the Engine Alliance, a consortium of General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Safran, which are not affected.

Airbus head Thomas Enders said last week that the engine problem will affect deliveries of the A380.

"I do expect that this ... will impact deliveries, especially in 2011," because of checks on and recommended replacements to some engines, Enders said, without giving a specific figure.

At the same time, "the reputation of this aircraft will remain untarnished and will even increase in the years ahead," he added.

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Copyright AFP 2010.