PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus has rebuffed calls by aircraft leasing firms to temper plans to almost double production of its best-selling A320 jetliner family, telling them its ambitions are justified by expectations for post-COVID demand, industry sources said.
Major lessors have joined engine makers in warning Airbus that a sharp hike could upset the market at a time when the recovery remains fragile, the sources said, confirming a Financial Times report.
Airbus has responded to the leasing companies that “demand is there”, said a person familiar with the matter.
“We continue to work on our commercial aircraft production ramp-up in line with the planning communicated in May 2021,” an Airbus spokesperson said.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
