Toulouse. Airlines love it: Airbus plans to produce more wide-body aircraft
By Thibaut Calatayud
Published on
While it has already begun to ramp up its A320 program, Airbus will he do the same for his jumbo jets (theA350 and theA330neo)? The European aircraft manufacturer is thinking about it wisely, as indicated by its CEO, Guillaume FauryFriday, October 28, 2022.
“Many positive signals for wide-body aircraft”
On the sidelines of the presentation of the financial results for the first nine months of the yearthe boss of Airbus explained that he was studying, with the Supply Chainthe possibility of an increase in the production of its aircraft wide body (widebody).
Currently, two A330neos leave the Airbus factories each month. We are at five aircraft produced monthly for the A350. At the start of 2023, an additional A330neo and A350 should be produced. But Guillaume Faury wants to do more.
“Across many businesses, we’re seeing a lot of positive signals for widebody aircraft. We want to be ready for a potential surge in demand for the second half of the decade.”
A word far from trivial when we know that the manufacturer is currently negotiating wide-body aircraft with several entities…
Big orders soon for the A350 and A330neo?
The biggest company in the world, United Airlines, wishes to acquire a hundred wide-body aircraft. A godsend for the A350 which will still have to face competition from the 787 Dreamliner of Boeing.
According to our colleagues from ReutersAirbus is also discussing with the Sovereign Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF) for the purchase of around forty A350s. These devices will join the fleet of a brand new Saudi company, which could be called “RIA”.
As part of the renewal of its A330 fleet, Qantas also wants to buy new jumbo jets. The Australian company – which has already reached an agreement in principle with Airbus for the purchase of 134 aircraft – will it trust the European manufacturer again or will it turn to Boeing?
Note that earlier in the year, Malaysia Airlines had ordered ten A330neos as part of the renewal of its fleet.
A320 program: Airbus “on track” to produce 65 planes per month by 2024
In its financial results, Airbus announces that the A320 program is “on track” to reach a production rate of 65 aircraft per month in early 2024 and 75 in 2025.
“All sites continue to prepare to reach the rate of 75 aircraft per month and to meet the growing A321 orders by adapting the final assembly lines (FAL) of the A320 Family to the A321”, adds the aircraft manufacturer.
To achieve this objective, Airbus will soon be able to count on a second FAL A320 in Toulouse. This new line located in the Jean-Luc Lagardère factory (the former A380 assembly site) could be operational in 2023.
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