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Airbus is to halve its production output on the Airbus A380, aiming for just 12 deliveries annually from 2018.
The airframer had achieved production breakeven on the double-deck type last year, when it delivered 27 aircraft.
But the backlog has diminished with few additional orders.
Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier describes the rate cut as a “prudent” and “proactive” measure.
“We are establishing a new target for our industrial planning,” he says, adding that Airbus is “keeping all [its] options open” for the emergence of future A380 demand.
He insist that the airframer will continue to invest in the jet, and adds: “The A380 is here to stay.”
The company believes that any effects on employment within the A380 line will be “mitigated” by other programme ramp-up efforts.
Airbus will aim to increase production efficiency to break even at an output of 20 aircraft next year, and to bring this threshold down further through additional cost reductions.
It has delivered 193 of the type to customers, out of an overall orderbook of 319, leaving a backlog of 126.
Source: Cirium Dashboard
