Northern Ireland

Airbus intervention 'great news' for Bombardier in Belfast

The C-Series wings are assembled by Bombardier in Belfast
The C-Series wings are assembled by Bombardier in Belfast The C-Series wings are assembled by Bombardier in Belfast

POLITICIANS have lauded the intervention by European aviation giant Airbus to invest heavily in Bombardier's C-Series project and put it up to Boeing in a trade dispute threatening thousands of Belfast jobs.

Airbus is taking a 50.01 per cent stake in the jet and will use its financial muscle to increase sales.

The plane's wings are made in Belfast, where 1,000 of Bombardier's 4,500 workers are directly employed and three times as many have jobs in the supply chain.

Bombardier has faced a series of problems over the project, most recently a trade dispute in the US that has imposed a 300 per cent import tariff, effectively scuppering deals the Canadian company has made with customers like Delta.

But the Airbus move - it now intends to assemble the C-Series in Alabama to avoid tariffs - is being seen as "great news" for the Belfast operation.

The aircraft, capable of carrying between 110 and 145 passengers, was originally launched to compete with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 series of jets.

The deal could see new markets being opened up, over and above the current US sales.

Secretary of State James Brokenshire said: "We have been working tirelessly across government to secure the future of the C-Series in recent months, and we will continue to do all we can to ensure the unjustified case brought by Boeing reaches a swift and effective resolution.

"Our number one priority throughout has been to safeguard jobs and livelihoods in Belfast."

"While there are still some steps before the deal is completed, this is clearly a significant move forward for the C-Series and for the workforce in Northern Ireland."

DUP leader Arlene Foster said the deal was "incredibly significant news for Bombardier, Belfast and Northern Ireland".

"I'm thrilled there is a bright future ahead following what has been a dark time for staff and management," she said.

Sinn Fein leader Michelle O'Neill said: "This is a good news story for Bombardier, for its workforce in Belfast and the local economy.

"The deal with Airbus will help secure the future of the workforce in Belfast and sales of the C-Series planes."

Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken said the deal "makes for a potentially very exciting future", while Alliance's Stephen Farry said it had the potential to secure the long-term future of Bombardier in Belfast and the SDLP's Sinead Bradley also said it was great news for employees.