Airbus names Guillaume Chevasson as new chief for A220 program

Benoit Schultz had led the A220 program since 2021. During his tenure, he oversaw significant growth initiatives including the construction of a new delivery center, the launch of a pre-assembly line, and the entry into service of a flight and integration test center.

Currently, Airbus aims to ramp up A220 production to 14 aircraft per month. The company continues to face challenges with reducing manufacturing costs—a key step toward making the program profitable. Chevasson's main objectives will include addressing bottlenecks, improving quality metrics, meeting production targets, and ensuring coordination across departments such as supply chain management and customer service.

The A220 program was acquired by Airbus from Bombardier in 2018. It includes two variants: the smaller A220-100 and the larger A220-300. The aircraft compete with models like Embraer’s E2 series, Boeing’s 737 MAX 7, and Airbus’s own A319neo. To date, Airbus has received 941 orders for the A220 series—118 for the A220-100 and 823 for the A220-300—outpacing rival models in this market segment.

Despite steady sales figures, profitability remains a concern due to high production costs and limited commonality with other Airbus products. Reliability issues have also been reported in service because of problems with Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines used on the type.

Looking ahead, industry observers believe that Airbus may consider developing an extended version of the jet—potentially named the A220-500 or A221—to compete more directly with larger narrowbody aircraft like the A320neo or Boeing 737 MAX 8. However, any further investment will depend on whether Chevasson can guide the program to sustained profitability.

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