Airbus Adjusts A380 and A400M Production Rates
European manufacturer Airbus is to
reduce the production rates for its A
and A400M programmes. The new plan,
which was presented to the European
Works Council on March 7, involves the
production of six A380s per year starting
from 2020 which is down from 15 A380s
in 2017.
On the A400M programme, production
will be adjusted to eight units per year as
of 2020, following the expected productionof 15 A400M in 2018 and 11 units in 2019.
This adjustment is based on discussions
with the A400M launch customer nations.
Airbus is now entering into a formal
social process with staff representatives at
European and national levels, to analyse
potential implications for the company’s
workforce and to start joint mitigation
efforts.
At this stage, Airbus estimates the
maximum impact of these measures willaffect up to 3,700 positions at sites across
the company’s home countries of France,
Germany, the UK and Spain.
The adjustment of the A380 production
rate follows a recent order that provides
visibility to the programme for the years
to come. At a baseline of six deliveries
per year, Airbus can produce the A380 in
an industrial efficient way that allows it to
pursue further sales campaigns, which
may lead to higher production levels.EgyptAir’s Boeing 737-866 SU-GEN has been repainted to show support for the country’s football team at this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The design, which is different on each side, features members of the squad and includes Liverpool FC’s Mo Salah. The picture shown here was
taken at Paris Charles de Gaulle on March 31. AirTeamImages.com/Matthieu DouhaireRyanair Holdings PLC announced on March
20 that it has entered into an agreement with
Niki Lauda to support his plan to develop
and grow LaudaMotion GmbH, an Austrian
airline based in Vienna. LaudaMotion is an
Austrian AOC holder, which will shortly start
a range of scheduled and charter services
from Germany, Austria and Switzerland,
primarily to Mediterranean leisure
destinations.
Under the agreement, Ryanair
will acquire an initial 24.9% stake in
LaudaMotion and this will rise as soon as
possible to 75% subject to EU competition
approval. Niki Lauda will chair the board of
the airline and oversee the implementation
of his strategy to build a successful Austrian
low fares airline. Ryanair will provide
nancial and management support to
LaudaMotion, as well as six wet-lease
aircraft, to enable the edgling airline to
complete an extensive 21 aircraft ying
programme.
Ryanair says the cost of this 75%
investment in LaudaMotion (if approved bythe EU) will be less than €50m although
it will provide an additional €50m for year
one start-up and operating costs. Both
Mr Lauda and Ryanair will work with the
existing management team of LaudaMotion
and expect the airline to reach pro tability by
year three of operations if their plan to grow
the business to a eet of at least 30 Airbus
aircraft is successful.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said: “We
look forward to working in partnership withNiki to develop his vision for a successful
Austrian low fares airline to service the
schedule and charter markets.” Niki Lauda,
Chairman of LaudaMotion, said: “I am
thrilled that in the partnership with Ryanair,
LaudaMotion will be able to establish itself
as a strong competitor and to grow quickly
and sustainably. A new player in the aviation
market is born and I am looking forward to
offering our passengers an extensive route
portfolio at competitive air fares.”CIVIL NEWS
10 Aviation News incorporating Jets May 2018World Cup Livery for EgyptAir 737
LaudaMotion’s rst A320, OE-LOF, at Cologne Bonn Airport on March 25. Markus AltmannRyanair-LaudaMotion in New Partnership
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