Fall in airline traffic slows

The EADS subsidiary is projecting 2009 plane deliveries at least as high as last year's record 483 aircraft, but has said it will extend recent production cuts if conditions worsen.

Even if airlines start to fly out of recession, they will be haunted by big questions on costs, especially fuel, Rouaud said.

At $67.90 a barrel, benchmark North Sea Brent crude futures prices have risen 38 percent since the end of March.

(Additional reporting by Brian Love and Helen Massy-Beresford; Writing by Tim Hepher; Editing by David Holmes)