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PRIVACY
Manufacturing

Airbus unveils emergency measures to secure its future amid coronavirus crisis

The company has secured £14bn extra credit, suspended the pension top-up and cut dividend

Airbus Beluga XL. Photo by Ian Cooper(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)

Airbus has unveiled a series of emergency measures to strengthen its finances to ensure its future amid the coronavirus crisis.

The virus had seen it pause production last week in France and Spain last week while its airline customers have seen their industry grind to a halt as travel restrictions are imposed.

This morning Airbus unveiled measures to bolster its liquidity and balance sheet in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as it continues to assess the ongoing situation and the impact on its business, customers, suppliers and the industry as a whole. 

The company employs around 11,000 people in the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ, with a majority at Broughton in North Wales and Filton near Bristol.

The measures include:

  • Secure a new credit facility amounting to € 15 billion£13.7bn) in addition to the existing € 3 billion revolving credit facility
  • Withdraw the 2019 dividend proposal of € 1.80 per share with an overall cash value of approximately € 1.4 billion; and suspend the voluntary top up in pension funding.
  • Operational scenarios, including measures to minimise cash requirements, have been identified and will be activated depending on the further development of the pandemic.

The planemaker added it was withdrawing its 2020 financial guidance.

Airbus chief executive officer Guillaume Faury said: "Our first priority is protecting people while supporting efforts globally to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

"We are also safeguarding our business to protect the future of Airbus and to ensure we can return to efficient operations once the situation recovers.