Airbus sets higher jet output targets as recovery looms

[PARIS] Europe's Airbus set out sweeping goals on Thursday to expand production of jetliners as the aviation industry recovers from the coronavirus crisis.

It confirmed plans to increase A320neo production by more than 10 per cent from a current rate of 40 airplanes a month to 45 a month by the end of this year and gave suppliers a firm new target of 64 a month by the second quarter of 2023.

"In anticipation of a continued recovering market, Airbus is also asking suppliers to enable a scenario of rate 70 (a month) by Q1 2024. Longer term, Airbus is investigating opportunities for rates as high as 75 (a month) by 2025," it said.

Outlining a mixture of firm and provisional goals, the planemaker said production of the wide-bodied A350 was expected to rise from an average of five a month now to six by the autumn of 2022.

It gave a firm target of increasing production of the small A220 from five a month to six a month in early 2022 and said it was envisaging monthly output of 14 for the same model by the middle of the decade.

Only the wide-bodied A330 family is excluded from the higher production ambitions and will stay at two a month, Airbus said.

The production statement comes after Reuters reported that Airbus had ordered suppliers to demonstrate as soon as possible that they are factory fit for increased single-aisle jet output, while warning of industrial quality problems.

REUTERS