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Supply-chain disruption has been a major problem for the aviation industry this year due to issues including shortages of materials and skilled labor. Orders were down at July’s Farnborough Airshow as plane makers and airlines alike voiced their frustrations about limited output.
If dockworkers remain on strike for some time, Airbus could also face disruption as it has a plant in Mobile, Alabama. The factory is the final assembly line for some North American customers’ A319, A320, A321, and A220 jets.
The A320 family is the world’s most popular narrowbody range, outselling the Boeing 737, to the extent that its backlog numbered over 7,000 as of July. Strike disruption could be a further setback.
Some major A320 family components, including fuselage sections and wings, are shipped from France to Mobile once a month, Airbus said in a 2019 press release.
“If it is a long strike, there could be some shortages at the Mobile production facility,” Alex Krutz, an aerospace analyst with Patriot Industrial Partners, told FlightGlobal. “It’s a very real possibility that certain components or structures are not available.”
However, an Airbus spokesperson told Leeham News: “We are aware of the situation and have taken actions to mitigate the potential impact on our operations in Mobile.”
Airbus did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.