PARIS, Could 24 (Reuters) – Airbus (AIR.PA) will not be seeking to launch a stretched model of its A220 jetliner within the present atmosphere, the planemaker mentioned on Wednesday, successfully flattening hypothesis of a launch on the upcoming Paris Airshow.
A bigger model of the 110-130-seat small passenger airplane has been on the horizon for a while and an Airbus spokesperson reiterated that it was a matter of “when not if”.
“However proper now, the A220-100 and A220-300 are precedence and we’re not seeking to launch a brand new variant within the present atmosphere,” the spokesperson added.
Airbus Chief Government Guillaume Faury has indicated that resolving current industrial delays is the planemaker’s high precedence amid continued strain on the provision chain.
Hypothesis of an imminent launch circulated on Wednesday after some media highlighted a Financial institution of America be aware suggesting Airbus would launch the so-called A220-500 model on the June 19-25 occasion exterior Paris.
Two trade sources dominated out an air present announcement.
A bigger model of the loss-making A220 program, acquired from Canada’s Bombardier in 2018, would permit Airbus to renegotiate provider contracts and decrease total manufacturing prices per plane, which have saved the enterprise within the pink.
It could additionally mount a problem to the Boeing 737 MAX 8.
However it could eat right into a market at present served by the 150-seat A320neo, a core a part of Airbus’s narrow-body household that generates many of the planemaking big’s income.
MID-DECADE
Airbus expects most demand for narrow-body jets emigrate upwards to the bigger A321neo dimension, the place it’s already outselling the biggest fashions of the Boeing 737 MAX.
Most trade sources count on an A220-500 launch to be nearer to the center of the last decade, with the jet coming into service round 2030 and doubtlessly boasting new wings and engines.
Such of venture would have wider implications on the primary battlefront for gross sales between Airbus and Boeing.
It may herald an eventual splitting of the narrow-body market into two as Airbus replaces the A320neo first and addresses a alternative for the bigger A321neo at a later stage with newer know-how, in accordance with trade analysts.
Such a call may nonetheless erode the compatibility which is seen as a key promoting level of narrow-body jets.
Airbus has instructed a brand new A220 model may additionally open up a alternative of engines. It instructed The Air Present final 12 months it could welcome gives from Basic Electrical/Safran (GE.N)(SAF.PA) joint-venture CFM Worldwide along with present provider Pratt & Whitney (RTX.N).
Reporting by Tim Hepher; Enhancing by Aurora Ellis
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