Airbus to Adjust A330 Production Rate

Airbus has decided to decrease the production rate for its A330 Family from the current rate of 10 aircraft per month to 9 aircraft a month in Q4 2015.

The A330 Family, which spans 250 to 300 seats, and includes Freighter, VIP, and Military Transport/Tanker variants, has now attracted more than 1,300 orders, with over 1,100 aircraft flying with more than 100 operators worldwide.

With numerous on-going product enhancements entering service in the coming years, such as the more capable 242-tonne take-off weight variant, the A330 for regional and domestic routes and the A330neo, the A330 Family remains one of the most cost-efficient and capable widebody aircraft, averaging operational reliability above 99%.

The A330 belongs to the successful Airbus Widebody aircraft Family, which comprises the A330, A350 XWB and A380, and spans the 250 to over 500 seats segment.

“Our role as an aircraft manufacturer is to anticipate and adapt our output to ensure we continue to maintain a smooth production flow for Airbus and for our supply chain,” said Tom Williams, Airbus’ Executive Vice President Programmes. “With the recent commercial success we’ve seen following the launch of the A330neo, in addition to the new 242-tonne weight variant and the A330 optimised for regional routes, we are confident we will sustain a steady production towards the A330neo ramp up period.”