"It's just wrong ... It's not true," spokesman John Mann said when asked to comment on the report.

A representative for Airbus could not confirm or deny the report.

French newspaper Le Figaro, which did not cite sources, said that Abramovich was the mystery buyer behind an order for an A380 VIP, which was unveiled by Airbus at the Paris Air Show in June this year.

The A380, which is due to enter service with Singapore Airlines next month, is the world's biggest airliner, capable of carrying over 800 passengers and measuring 73m in length.

The report also claimed that the A380 would be customised by German group Lufthansa Technik in the Swiss city of Basle, but this was also denied.

"We don't have any contracts for an A380," said a spokesman for Lufthansa Technik.

He added that the company did not have a factory in Basle.