- Airbus may set up a new A350 assembly line.
- Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner described the decision as inevitable.
- The current line produces 12 to 13 A350s each month.
- Airbus is considering a larger A350 and the A220-500.
- GE Aerospace showed muted interest in engines for a 400-seat A350.
A decision by Airbus to set up a new assembly line to increase A350 production has been described as inevitable amid demand from airlines for faster deliveries. Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner noted the plan will be presented to the company’s board and would happen rather sooner than later. The current line is capable of producing 12 to 13 of the widebodies each month.
A completely new industrial system and line would be needed to boost output. Airbus continues to consider producing larger versions of the A350 as well as a stretched A220 dubbed the A220-500. Wagner noted a decision on both projects is expected towards the beginning of a five-year planning period.
Airbus approached GE Aerospace to supply engines for a future 400-seat A350, but interest from the manufacturer was muted. The proposal was first touted at the Dubai Airshow 2025 and is widely referred to as the A350-2000. Rolls-Royce, the sole engine supplier for the A350 family, would need up to seven years to develop a new engine if Airbus selects a design requiring a bigger power plant. AirAsia has expressed interest in options for 150 aircraft alongside its firm order for 150 A220-300s.
Lars Wagner shared “The plan will be presented to the company’s board of directors but the move would happen rather sooner than later.”
