Airbus looks to cut UK jobs as orders dry up

Airbus is considering a voluntary redundancy scheme for as many as 500 UK workers as the planemaker seeks to cut costs in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The European manufacturer’s job cuts in the UK are expected to fall mainly on the vast factory in Broughton, north Wales, which produces wings for commercial planes such as the A320 and A350. When compulsory redundancies are included, it is likely that UK job losses will be multiple times higher. One option under consideration was to offer voluntary redundancy to 500 workers, focusing on those nearer to retirement, a person with knowledge of discussions said. However, another source cautioned that no final decision had been made and it was only one of a number of options as the manufacturer prepared for years of lower demand. Airbus said in April it would cut the number of planes it built by a third. Airlines around the world have cancelled or delayed orders for new aircraft as their fleets remained grounded. The production cuts have led to the expectation of thousands of job cuts across Airbus’s global operations.<br/>