Airbus says 3,700 European jobs at risk as it cuts production of A380 and A400M

Around 6,000 people work at Airbus’ wing manufacturing plant in Broughton, North Wales, and around 4,000 are based in Filton, north of Bristol

Airbus is the largest commercial aerospace company in the UK and also the biggest civil aerospace exporter (British Airways)

Airbus has said that 3,700 jobs are at risk across sites in the UK, France, German and Spain as a result of its plans to cut production rates of its A380 and A400M aircraft.

The European multinational, which is headquartered in Toulouse, said on Wednesday that it would manage the implications of the cuts for its workforce "in a responsible manner".

It also said that it would likely be able to "propose opportunities" to most of the employees affected.

Around 6,000 people work at Airbus’ wing manufacturing plant in Broughton, North Wales, and around 4,000 are based in Filton, north of Bristol. The company has a total workforce around 15,000 across more than 25 sites throughout the whole of the UK.

The company has been battling waning demand for its planes for years and was saved in January by a $16bn order from Dubai’s Emirates for 20 of its double-decker A380s - the world’s largest passenger jet.

On Wednesday it said that it would fall to six A380 deliveries a year by 2020 from an anticipated 12 deliveries in 2018. And the A400M programme has reportedly been marred by glitches and cost overruns too.

The group said that it had presented the proposed changes to the European Works Council and that it would now start negotiations with representatives of the countries affected.

Citing trade unionists, Reuters on Wednesday reported that the Filton site, Spain’s factory in Seville and plants in Bremen and Augsburg in Germany would be the main ones affected by the cuts.

Airbus is the largest commercial aerospace company in the UK and also the biggest civil aerospace exporter. It’s also a leading provider of military satellite communication equipment, aircraft to the Royal Air Force and cyber security.