New Delhi: Planemaker Airbus is at an advanced stage in talks over the sale of production sites in Europe, and will continue to explore cost-cutting measures, its chief executive said yesterday.

Airbus, a unit of European aerospace group EADS, is trying to sell all or part of several plants in Europe after delays to its A380 superjumbo rocked the company last year, but the process is taking longer than expected.

"We are in an advanced stage of talks. It would be good for us, good for our employees, good for our shareholders," said Tom Enders, visiting India as part of an industry delegation accompanying German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"So we must be sure we are doing the right thing," he told a news conference.