European plane maker Airbus has said its Chinese final assembly plant in Tianjin will remain closed for the foreseeable future as the Wuhan coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the global supply chain. The plant had been closed for the Lunar New Year holiday but was scheduled to reopen at the end of January. Airbus had earlier said it was planning to raise output from the plant to six A320-family aircraft a month in early 2020 from the previous rate of four.
In a statement, Airbus said: “Airbus is closely monitoring the evolution of the coronavirus situation and following the World Health Organisation travel advice that is affecting Airbus globally. The company is regularly updating staff on the situation and on necessary precautions to take. Airbus China is observing Chinese government requirements for staff to work from home and is facilitating with IT equipment so employees from all locations including Tianjin do not need to travel to work where possible. With regards to the business impact, China domestic and worldwide travel restrictions are posing some logistical challenges. The Tianjin Final Assembly Line facility is currently closed.”
