With the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically affecting demand for new aircraft, Airbus has decided to delay ramping up the increase in production of is Canada-based A220 narrow-body jet until next year but has not opted to reduce production either.
By the middle of 2021, the European planemaker anticipates it will increase current output of four jets per month which are being built at the Mirabel plant near Montreal, while plans to increase production of the jet to four a month at the Mobile, Alabama facility are as yet unchanged.
Having acquired the program from Bombardier Inc, Airbus had anticipated producing up to ten of the jets per month by 2025, but this is now subject to revision. Current production at the Mirabel facility has been suspended until at least May 4, owing to the coronavirus outbreak as it is not classed as an essential business operation, while last month Airbus announced that narrow-body jet production would be reduced to forty units per month, while wide-body jet production would be reduced by 40 per cent.
