Airbus Confirms A380, A400M Production Cuts

Airbus has confirmed production rate cuts on its A380 civil and A400M military aircraft in a change that will affect up to 3,700 jobs.

The cut, presented to Airbus’s European Works Council on Wednesday, will mean a drop in A380 production to six per year from 2020. The A400M military transporter will see a drop in output to eight per year.

The jobs under threat are in all four of the company’s home countries of France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Airbus said it is confident that most of the affected employees will transfer to other jobs within the group.

The A380 will continue in production for a further ten years at the lower delivery rate after Emirates in January ordered 20 superjumbos, with options for a further 16. The order was widely seen as saving the aircraft after then sales chief John Leahy said A380 production would have to be wound down if the airline failed to order more aircraft.

The company said the lower A380 output “allows Airbus to pursue further sales campaigns which may lead to higher production levels.”

The A400M adjustment to eight per year from 2020 follows discussions with the aircraft’s launch customer nations which include France, Germany, Spain and the UK. The A400M will be produced at a rate of fifteen in 2018 and eleven in 2019.