Airbus has opened a second final assembly line (FAL) for the A320 family at its Jean-Luc Lagardère site in Toulouse, marking a significant step in the company’s strategy to boost single-aisle aircraft production. The new facility will support the planned ramp-up to 75 A320-family jets per month by 2027, up from current rates that have been steadily increasing since the pandemic.

The Toulouse plant, already home to one A320 FAL, now gains a twin line that leverages the site’s existing infrastructure and skilled workforce. This expansion is part of a broader industrial system that includes assembly lines in Hamburg (Germany), Mobile (USA), and Tianjin (China), allowing Airbus to distribute production geographically while concentrating expertise. The second Toulouse line will focus on the A320neo, the family’s re-engined variant that dominates the backlog, though it will remain flexible for A321neo assembly as demand evolves.

The ramp-up target of 75 aircraft per month represents a near-30% increase from the 2023 average, reflecting an over 8,000-unit order backlog for the A320 family. To achieve this, Airbus is not only adding final assembly capacity but also pushing suppliers to synchronize their output, from aerostructures to engines. The Toulouse site, historically critical for A320 production, will see output rise gradually, with the new line initially producing a few aircraft per month before scaling up.

Implications extend beyond Airbus: the supply chain, still recovering from post-COVID disruptions, must keep pace, and any bottlenecks could delay the 2027 goal. For airlines, faster deliveries mean shorter waiting times for fuel-efficient single-aisle jets, a competitive advantage as carriers renew fleets. The move also reinforces Toulouse’s role as a center of excellence, with the site’s integrated design offices and flight-test teams. While Airbus has not disclosed the investment amount, the duplicated assembly line underscores the company’s confidence in sustained demand for its best-selling aircraft family.

Airbus inaugure à Toulouse une deuxième ligne d’assemblage final pour la famille A320. Cette installation doit soutenir la montée en cadence du programme, avec un objectif de 75 appareils produits par mois d’ici à 2027. Airbus a inauguré une deuxième ligne d’assemblage final de la famille A320 sur son site Jean-Luc Lagardère à Toulouse. La […]

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