Airbus has announced it is temporarily pausing production and assembly activities at its French and Spanish sites across the company for the next four days.
The company says this is to allow sufficient time to implement stringent health and safety conditions in terms of hygiene, cleaning and self-distancing.
The aircraft manufacturer is closely monitoring the coronavirus pandemic across the globe and is assessing the situation and its impact on the business as well as its employees, customers and suppliers.
Global operations
Airbus says it is following WHO and local health authority guidance. The company has also updated its workplace safety and travel recommendations to employees, customers and visitors according to the latest developments.
The company stated: “We are doing our utmost to support our employees who are affected by schools and childcare closures by providing them with a maximum of flexibility in dealing with the situation. This includes enabling home office where possible, while at the same time ensuring business continuity at Airbus to meet customer commitments and complying with national regulations.”
On 5 February, Airbus announced it had closed its Tianjin Final Assembly Line in China due to the coronavirus. This was followed by an announcement on 11 February that the company had been authorised by the Chinese authorities to restart operations and was gradually increasing production whilst implementing all required health and safety measures for Airbus employees.
Boeing
According to financial publication Learnbonds.com, Boeing’s stock price lost more than 60 per cent of its value in February, something mainly attributed to the coronavirus. Furthermore, the 737 max crisis has also affected the company’s stock performance. The manufacturer is currently discussing a potential aid package with the Trump administration officials.
Regarding production, Boeing stated on 16 March: “Production continues at this time, and the company has enhanced cleaning procedures in work spaces, common areas and on high-touch surfaces. We’re assessing the safety of all of our sites and their alignment with local, state and national government guidance as we continuously monitor this evolving situation.”
