In an update to its suppliers, Airbus has confirmed its plans to raise production rates based on its expectation that the commercial aircraft market will recover to pre-COVID levels between 2023 and 2025, led by the single-aisle segment.
“The aviation sector is beginning to recover from the COVID-19 crisis,” said Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO. “The message to our supplier community provides visibility to the entire industrial ecosystem to secure the necessary capabilities and be ready when market conditions call for it. In parallel, we are transforming our industrial system by optimising our aerostructures set-up and modernising our A320 Family production facilities. All these actions are set in motion to prepare our future.”
Airbus has confirmed an average A320 Family production rate of 45 aircraft per month for the fourth quarter of 2021 but has told suppliers to prepare for the future by securing a firm rate of 64 by Q2 2023. In anticipation of a continued recovering market, Airbus is also asking suppliers to enable a scenario of rate 70 by Q1 2024. Longer term, Airbus is investigating opportunities for rates as high as 75 by 2025.
For the A220 family of aircraft, Airbus is currently producing five aircraft per month from Mirabel and Mobile. The manufacturer confirms that rate is to rise to around six in early 2022, again rising to 14 per month by the middle of the decade.
For the twin-aisle market, only production of the A350 will be increased and then only slightly. Airbus plans increase A350 production rates from an average production rate of five per month today, to six by autumn 2022. A330 production remains at an average monthly production rate of two per month.
Airbus states that these actions are “protecting its ability to further adapt as the market evolves”.