Mobile, Alabama - Airbus plans to increase the A320neo production to seven aircraft per month next year at its Mobile plant in Alabama, United States.
The European aircraft manufacturer is currently rolling out five jets per month from its A320neo final assembly lines in Mobile and plans to increase it to six in a few weeks.
Airbus eventually aims to bring its global monthly A320neo production to 63 aircraft in 2021.
Airbus explains Mobile expansion as a result of increasing demand from US airline operators for its best-selling A320neo family jetliners. Airbus says recent tariffs did not affect the planemaker's' decision for production increase as the works for Mobile expansion began well before they came into force.
Airbus will begin to roll out seven A320neos in early 2021. The expansion will add 275 new jobs at the facility.
The European aerospace giant delivered the first Airbus A320 jet assembled in Mobile in 2016. Last year Airbus also began to produce building its Canadian-made A220 jets there.
Airbus' total production from Mobile is expected to reach 130 aircraft this year, including the A220s.
The US government has imposed 10% import tariffs on airplanes manufactured in Europe.
In 2019, Airbus left Boeing behind for the first time since 2011 in terms of airplane orders and deliveries as the crisis over Boeing’s grounded 737 MAX extended into 2020.
Airbus also suffered by delays last year due the complex installation process of the optional "Airspace" cabins on the A321neo jets assembled in Hamburg, Germany.