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Comment by the_gastropod | Hacker News Reader

Neat seeing this alongside all the mass layoff threads.

A record for jet order should provide some job safety over the next few years (and possibly hiring if they increase their output instead of just adding to a longer backlog) for people working on the manufacturing side of Airbus.

But on the development side, the situation is less clear. There is no major development project anymore since A350 is in operation. And there are no signs yet of an upcoming major program based on their research activities for hydrogen-powered of more electric airliners.

So there could still be layoffs or downsizing due to hiring less engineers than the ones that go to retirement.

It can provide job safety only to folks at the assembly line.

Even with record profits and huge backlog companies nowadays can do layoffs to please shareholders. Like Microsoft did.

There is no such thing as job security anymore. Successful companies can do layoffs anytime. Why not to layoff people if they can hire in cheaper locations?

>Successful companies can do layoffs anytime.

Depends. Airbus probably has a strong union in France so mass layoffs especailly during pofitable times seem as likely as contact with aliens.

Strong union in France would be pleased if Airbus decides to layoff folks at their plant in Mobile, Alabama.

Why would they though? Having a presence on US soild is a vital strategical and political baragaining chip for Airbus. They wouldn't jeopardize that.

The Mobile plant is working heavily to serve the US market with A320s and A220s (on which production is starting to ramp up), so no, there is no place for layoffs while demand far outstrips supply.

Roughly 25% of Airbus SE stock is owned by Germany, France and Spain.

Its not just france, airbus uses a lot of contractors in germany, uk, belgium, ...

At least in Germany, the UK, and Spain it's not (only) contractors, but Airbus itself. IIRC there are around 50k employees in Germany and France each, 13k in Spain and the UK each.

> There is no major development project anymore since A350 is in operation.

Well, not having a complete new aircraft doesn't mean there is no activities. A320neo is leaps and bounds ahead on the market. While Boeing seriously needs a new aircraft in that segment, Airbus can happily modernise the A320 some more. As for new developments, they likely need to integrate the A220 into their lineup, streamline the issues they had with it, and many think that the A320 successor will likely be based on the A220, making the A220 much more important to Airbus than it seems. There are rumours about a A220-500 which will have different engines than the smaller ones. In the meantime, it's known that Boeing doesn't plan to release anything anytime soon until a new generation of much more efficient engines comes in, even though it's an uncertainty when will it be.

Also, it seems that A350-1000 and A330neo sales are somewhat underwhelming, they cannot compete against the 777X or 787. By some reports, the RR engine in the A350-1000 needs too much maintenance in the hot climates of the Middle East, where a lot of wide bodies are sold.

All in all, they have their work cut on multiple fronts.

One of the big issues wrt "major development projects" is that engine manufacturers are working on pretty interesting concepts but it's not clear if they'll pan out, and that means if you lock in a program too early you might completely miss out on this new generation of engines and end up with a plane missing the market.

I don't think Airbus wants a repeat of the A380.

Plus last I'd checked Boeing declared they're not working on a new frame for at least a decade, and Airbus is competitive right now, so the incentive is limited: Comac is up and coming, but it's still a way away (and is missing the entire support network).

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