(Bloomberg) -- Airbus SE has embarked on a plan to improve its performance and keep costs in check in response to supply-chain constraints and rising expenses.
“In view of the continued pressure in the supply chain as well as the overall complex economic situation, there is a need to concentrate our efforts on the fundamentals,” an Airbus spokesman said in an email. “This will allow us to secure our industrial ramp-up today to deliver to our customers, continue our growth trajectory and prepare our ability to invest in our future programs.”
The company responded to a report by Reuters earlier on Friday, which said Airbus will freeze headcount at its planemaking subsidiary, according to a memo sent to staff. Some positions may disappear and the overall number of posts will be capped, Reuters said.
Airbus last month pared back a whole range of longer-term goals — from operating profit to cash generation, jet handovers and the monthly production rate of its all-important A320 model. The planemaker has grappled with a shortage of parts ranging from engines to cabin interiors.
The aviation industry has taken a more gloomy view just as it heads into the busiest travel season of the year. Earlier on Friday, Deutsche Lufthansa AG cut its profit outlook for the full year as it wrestles with higher unit costs and falling ticket prices. On Thursday, Delta Air Lines Inc. warned that U.S. domestic carriers are struggling to fill planes, dragging down ticket prices in a fare war that’s weighing on profits.
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