Airbus asks suppliers to prepare for production hike; keeps a foot on brake

Airbus, which must garner political and union support for 15,000 job cuts, has for weeks been giving mixed signals

The world's largest planemaker Airbus has taken the industry by surprise by asking suppliers to prepare for a sharp increase in production after the coronavirus crisis - yet at the same time it quietly delayed its timetable for recovery.

Airbus said on Thursday it had asked suppliers to be ready to support an 18% increase in output of its best-selling A320 jet in the second half of 2021, partially reversing cuts when the virus provoked a global slump in travel.

That pushed the European company's shares up 6%, but also risks upsetting unions facing job cuts and governments being asked