Airbus confident in A320 ramp-up despite aviation crisis

Airbus SE is confident in its plan to increase production of the best-selling A320 family of jets to a rate of 47 a month next year, even as the slump in air travel puts pressure on customers, according to people familiar with the matter.

The company has extensively stress-tested its backlog of orders for the model, and remains comfortable with the strategy, said the people, who asked for anonymity discussing confidential plans. The exact timing or level of the ramp-up could change but the need to increase production is clear, they said.

Airbus told suppliers last month to be prepared to support a monthly rate of 47 A320-family planes in the second half of 2021.