Airbus Restarts Manufacture of Aircraft Wings in Europe

Airbus has announced resumption of production and assembly activities at wing plants located in Spain, France and other European countries amid COVID-19 pandemic.

“Airbus partially resumed production and assembly work in France and Spain on 23 March following a four-day pause. At the same time, operations in the UK, Germany and the US continued at normal rates. Based on the adapted ways of working which reflect the new health and safety measures, Airbus is continuing to evaluate its production flow,” the company said in a statement Thursday.

A few days ago, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General stated that Europe is now the "epicenter of the pandemic." As of Thursday, the deadly virus had infected over 460,000 people worldwide and claimed 21,000 lives.

The company said it carried out “extensive work in coordination with its social partners to ensure the health and safety of its employees by implementing stringent health and safety measures, while securing business continuity.”

Wing plants in the UK and in Bremen, Germany, reviewed additional completed stock levels developed in the recent period and the immediate demand from the Final Assembly Lines as they resume partial operations. “As a result of that review, Airbus has decided to adapt the production activity in the wing plants for the next three weeks,” Airbus said.

This means that the production and corresponding activities for support to production of the wing plants in Bremen, Filton and Broughton will be reduced, with an extended Easter holiday implemented at Broughton and Filton and a reduced working week at Bremen. The sites will remain open during this period and will continue to ensure wing deliveries to the final assembly lines, the receipt and control of materials and components from the supply chain, building and installation maintenance, critical administrative support and preparation for activity restart.

Employees will continue to perform activities remotely via home-working where their activities are not directly related to the production activity being adapted.