Aircraft
Airbus To Cut A330 Output, Lags on A320 Deliveries
Weak demand for widebody airplanes prompts rate adjustment while the company struggles to meet its narrowbody commitments due to engine shortfalls
Airbus plans to lower A330 production rates to 50 per month next year. (Photo: Airbus)
Airbus plans to lower A330 production rates to 50 per month next year. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus plans to cut production of its A330 family from 60 this year to about 50 in 2019 amid weakening demand for the widebody product while the company scrambles to recover from a delivery shortfall involving A320 narrowbodies due to continuing struggles by engine suppliers to meet their own delivery commitments. The announcement of the production slowdown comes as sales of the new A330neo fail to build as quickly as hoped, forcing a moderation in delivery projections. A recent decision by Hawaiian Airlines to drop an order announced in 2014 for six A330-800s in favor of ten 787-9s exacerbated the situation.