Aviation

Airbus could take over Spirit Aerosystems factory in Belfast, chief executive says

Guillaume Faury said it could be a ‘very legitimate owner’ of the plant in Belfast, if rival Boeing buys other parts of Spirit

Spirit manufactures the wings for the Airbus A220 at a factory in Belfast with over 3,000 workers, making it one of the most important employers in the region.

Airbus could take charge of the Spirit Aerosystems factory in Northern Ireland as well as a US plant run by Spirit, should rival Boeing buy other parts of the aviation sector’s key supplier.

Reuters reported last week that Boeing, Spirit and Airbus were working directly or indirectly towards a potential "framework" that could lead to Spirit's break-up, with each planemaker taking some operations.

Boeing is reportedly targeting the acquisition of Spirit’s largest plant at Wichita ...