Airbus Canada says it is going to supply AirAsia with an enormous order of 150 of its Canadian-made A220 jets in a multibillion-dollar coup for Quebec’s aviation industry.
Airbus, which makes the narrow-body planes north of Montreal in Mirabel, says the agreement with the low-cost Malaysian airline marks the biggest single firm order for A220s within the manufacturer’s history.
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Lars Wagner, who heads the Airbus business aircraft division, says the deal underscores Quebec’s role as a key hub in global aviation.
Meanwhile, the presence of Prime Minister Mark Carney on the announcement Wednesday underscored the federal government’s push to diversify trade beyond the US.
Nevertheless, Airbus has faced production challenges at its Montreal-area plant, struggling to churn out greater than seven jets per thirty days on average — half of the edge needed to interrupt even.
Nonetheless, Western University professor Geraint Harvey says the announcement comes as “great news” for the federal government and for employees in Quebec.
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