Was it the Emirates or another Sheikhdom that just finished building a new airlines terminal specially designed to accomodate that much delayed airbus giant?
This isn't the A380. It is the largest version of the A340 which competes against the 777-300ER and is touted as a one for one replacement for 747-100 and 747-200 aircraft except that they aren't as fast as 747's.
I think you are referring to the A380, the big plane that is having delay after delay.
The A340 is supposed to compete with the Boeing 777 long range plane. That they say that the A340 can't compete is another nail in their coffin.
These were the top-of-the-line Airbus other than the A380, the A340-600 HGW (high gross weight) model. It's a stretched A340 designed for higher max takeoff weights, I assume that either it carries extra fuel or it's built for extra payload. It's a development of the original A340 models, the -200 and the longer -300; bigger engines, mainly, to give it a lot more power. The A340-500, a shorter version, was the longest-ranged jetliner in service until the Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner dethroned it.
The A340-600 is one huge airplane...it's weird proportionally because it's so darn long. It looks longer than a 747-400, but I don't know that it is, that may be an illusion of the rounder single-deck fuselage.