Airbus Mulls Jetliner Production Boost

TOULOUSE—Airbus Group NV is thinking of further increasing its output of the popular A320 single-aisle jetliner by as much as 26% to more than 60 a month, the company's chief airplane salesman said on Thursday.

"I, for one, am looking for a rate over 60" aircraft a month, said John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer for customers. Building 63 narrowbody jets a month "is clearly justified" by market conditions, Mr. Leahy said.

Airbus already has announced plans to increase output of its A320 jetliner to 50 planes a month in early 2017 from 42 currently. The company is studying higher output levels, Mr. Leahy said.

Boeing Co., Airbus's main rival, is also raising output of its rival 737 jetliner to 52 aircraft a month from 2018. It currently builds 42 such planes a month.

Mr. Leahy played down concerns the big order backlogs that Airbus and Boeing have built up can't be sustained. The appetite for air travel among the emerging middle class in developing economies will help sustain demand, he said.

Write to Robert Wall at [e-mail]

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