Jobs at Airbus in Filton at risk as company announces 1,700 cuts at UK sites

A number of jobs at Airbus in Filton are at risk as the company announced plans to cut 1,700 positions across the UK as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

The aerospace giant has not yet confirmed how many staff will lose their jobs at the factory near Bristol - this is expected to be revealed in the coming days.

A company statement said: "Airbus has announced plans to adapt its global workforce and resize its commercial aircraft activity in response to the Covid-19 crisis.

"This adaptation is expected to result in a reduction of around 15,000 positions no later than summer 2021.

"The information and consultation process with social partners has begun with a view to reaching agreements for implementation starting in autumn 2020."

Airbus said commercial aircraft business activity has dropped by almost 40% in recent months as the industry faces an "unprecedented" crisis.

The statement continued: "Airbus is grateful for the Government support that has enabled the company to limit these necessary adaptation measures.

"However with air traffic not expected to recover to pre-Covid levels before 2023 and potentially as late as 2025, Airbus now needs to take additional measures to reflect the post Covid-19 industry outlook."

Chief executive Guillaume Faury said: "Airbus is facing the gravest crisis this industry has ever experienced.

"The measures we have taken so far have enabled us to absorb the initial shock of this global pandemic. Now, we must ensure that we can sustain our enterprise and emerge from the crisis as a healthy, global aerospace leader, adjusting to the overwhelming challenges of our customers.

"To confront that reality, we must now adopt more far-reaching measures. Our management team and our board of directors are fully committed to limiting the social impact of this adaptation.

"We thank our governmental partners as they help us preserve our expertise and know-how as much as possible and have played an important role in limiting the social impact of this crisis in our industry. The Airbus teams and their skills and competences will enable us to pursue our ambition to pioneer a sustainable future for aerospace."

Airbus employs around 3,000 people at the site in Filton, near Bristol.

The latest announcement from the company comes after warnings from bosses that it might not survive the coronavirus crisis.

In April, staff were told the company must 'act urgently' in order to avoid 'deeper job cuts'.

The following month it was confirmed roughly two thirds of its Engineering, Engineering Support and Support Function workers were being furloughed.

A breakdown of the job cuts is expected to be announced in the coming days.