Airbus to juggle jetliner production

Airbus moved closer towards raising production of its best-selling A320 on Tuesday, declaring the supply chain stable and hinting at a decision to produce more of the A320 in coming months. But it also conceded it may have to reduce production of its wide-body A330 further than previously anticipated, amid waning demand for the jet that faces competition from Boeing's 787 Dreamliner. Airbus builds 42 A320-family jets a month and is targeting 46 a month. Boeing has set plans for 52 a month and industry sources say it has started sounding out suppliers on whether they could support as many as 58. Airbus produces 10 A330s a month and plans to trim this to nine. Analysts believe it could have to cut to as few as six a month. (Source: Reuters, 01/13/15) Gulf Coast note: Airbus is building an A320 final assembly line in Mobile, Ala., that will open in the fall of this year.