A planned production rate increase of the Airbus A330 depends on Europe resolving the global dispute over aviation carbon emission fees.
Briefing media in Toulouse, France on Wednesday, Airbus EVP-programs Tom Williams said the plan is to take A330 production up to 11 per month in 2014 from about nine per month this year. The manufacturer has 1,199 firm orders for the A330 and a backlog of 328 aircraft.
However, 45 A330 orders for Chinese carriers are on hold because of an escalating dispute between Europe and the Chinese government over the implementation of Europe’s Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) carbon tax on airlines.
“If we don’t resolve the ETS issue, then we won’t get to 11 aircraft per month by 2014,” Williams said. “If the Chinese orders flow through, it will create the jobs and we will get there, but it won’t happen if ETS is not resolved.”
Airbus’ COO and designated new CEO Fabrice Brégier said in an earlier briefing that he hoped Europe would move faster toward reaching a global agreement ETS. “We have made our position clear and we have expressed to the European Commission that we have nothing against the principle of ETS, which is an incentive to contain emissions while continuing air traffic growth. However, ETS has to be discussed and negotiated at a global level. We believe Europe has started to discuss it but we are hoping it will move faster,” Brégier said.
Article Source : ATW Daily News
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