Airbus Industrie

In 1970, four European nations created Airbus Industrie to offset a decline in the airframe industry and challenge U.S. dominance in the global commercial aircraft market. Airbus is a four-country international consortium: In this unusual business structure, the four partners are both owners and suppliers, the common language of business is English, and all sales are transacted in U.S. dollars.

In the early years, Airbus Industrie was clearly the underdog, lagging far behind the U.S. companies of Boeing and McDonnell Douglas, which had dominated the industry for years. Since the consortium had no track record on safety or maintenance, airlines were reluctant to purchase the new aircraft. Through favourable pricing, generous maintenance contracts, and other competitive offers, the company was able to attract a number of carriers, including some in the United States. As a result, in less than twenty years, Airbus was able to produce a full family of airplanes and, with over 100 customers, it moved into the number two spot in the global aircraft industry.

Airbus succeeds because civil aircraft manufacturers from four nations pool their financial and technological resources in a true multinational partnership. It also succeeds because officials in these countries believe that European industry must be supported and protected by a strong industrial policy. For Airbus Industrie (the largest single industrial undertaking in the EC) support takes the form of an estimated $26 billion in subsidies. As a result of this financial backing Airbus has been able to recover from 70 to 100 percent of its product development costs, which are enormous in the industry. It can easily take four to six years, for example, for a plane to move from the design stage to actual production. During this time, the project yields no profits.

Airbus officials defend subsidies as a way to help level the playing field. They are quick to point out that Boeing and McDonnell Douglas receive millions of dollars in contracts to build military aircraft and spacecraft for the U.S. government, which is clearly a form of subsidy. It is hypocritical, say Airbus executives, to argue that the market is or can be completely free from government intervention.

Airbus officials point out that the consortium is a source of pride for the European Community, a model of international cooperation that can inspire future economic development in the area. Moreover, high quality Airbus products provide a viable alternative to U.S. airframes, assuring customers all over the world of the benefits of industrial competition.

With 30 percent of the global airframe market already, Airbus officials are gunning for at least 40 percent over the next several years. Predictions of increasing worldwide air traffic are fuelling Airbus’s growth. The consortium is already anticipating the need for airplanes that are quieter, more fuel efficient, and more comfortable for air travellers on long trips. According to company literature, “Airbus Industrie looks forward to lasting financial success well into the twenty-first century.”