Airbus A320 will attempt to stave off competition until 2025
Airbus A320 fleet will not be replaced before 2025, despite increased competition. Airbus says it's working on larger versions of the Airbus A320 jetliner.
General view of the Single Aisle A320 production line at the Airbus facility in Finkenwerder, near Hamburg, Germany, October 21.
Christian Charisius/Reuters
Brussels
Airbus says it has no plans to replace its A320 family of medium-range passenger jets before 2025 despite competition from new manufacturers.
Airbus senior Vice President Rainer Ohler said Tuesday that a new project costing about €10 billion ($13 billion) would not be justified unless it could offer a 25 percent increase in overall performance. He says new technologies needed to achieve this target are not available.
Airbus' rival Boeing Co. has been mulling the replacement of its 737 family — the best-selling airliner ever — while Airbus is developing the A350 long-range jet liner and A400M heavy military transport.
Airbus is still working on the newly introduced A380, the largest passenger jet in the world.