Mobile’s Airbus Facility Expands While Celebrating 500 Aircraft and a New Assembly Line

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Mobile’s Airbus delivers its 500th aircraft, marking a major milestone as the facility expands with a new assembly line and workforce growth.

Airbus recently marked a significant milestone by delivering its 500th aircraft from its Mobile, Alabama production facility. This milestone aircraft was fittingly delivered to Delta Air Lines, a major American carrier.

The Mobile facility first opened its doors in 2015 as Airbus’s inaugural commercial aircraft production site in the United States. Initially, the plant was equipped to produce only the A320 family of aircraft. However, in 2017, Airbus enhanced the production capabilities of the site to include the A220 model. Within the first five years, the facility had successfully delivered over 180 aircraft from the A320 family to eight different customers. By September 2020, the Mobile facility was nearing the completion of its first A220 aircraft manufactured in the U.S.

Earlier this week, Airbus commemorated the delivery of their 500th aircraft, an A321neo, at their Alabama facility. The aircraft was handed over to Delta Air Lines. To mark this milestone, numerous employees gathered for a celebratory photo with the new aircraft. Airbus shared the moment on social media, highlighting the event.

“Our 500th Alabama-born baby! Team airbus in Mobile today celebrated the 500th aircraft produced at our U.S. Manufacturing Facility – a bright and shiny Delta A321neo! Congrats to every Team Airbus member responsible for this stellar milestone!”

A report from FOX10 highlighted significant growth at Airbus’ Mobile facility over the past nine years, where the workforce has expanded from 350 to nearly 2,000 employees. Airbus has committed to nurturing local talent in Mobile, collaborating with educational initiatives to prepare individuals for manufacturing careers. Partnerships with Bishop State and Flight Works Alabama have led to a pre-employment training program aimed at equipping both early-career individuals and high school students for these roles.

This initiative is part of a broader multi-million dollar agreement that Airbus signed with the local county commission and city council to boost local employment. Daryl Taylor, the General Manager at the Mobile site, noted the success of their strategic hiring initiatives, including an apprenticeship program that has brought on board over 200 apprentices in the last two years.

Since Delta Air Lines acquired its initial U.S.-manufactured A321 in 2016, the company has incorporated over 130 aircraft from Airbus’s Mobile facility into its fleet. This includes a substantial number of A321neos and A220s. Kristen Bojko, Delta’s Vice President for Fleet, commented on the acquisition.

“Delta has been part of many milestones at Airbus in Mobile, including delivery of the site’s 15th and 100th produced A320 family aircraft and the first US-built aircraft.”

During the milestone celebration of the 500th aircraft, Mobile’s Mayor, Sandy Stimpson, attended and reflected on the city’s remarkable journey in aerospace manufacturing. He noted that just nine years prior, Mobile had not produced a single airplane, emphasizing the significant growth achieved since then.

Expansion Plans
Airbus is actively expanding its operations in Mobile, constructing a third final assembly line (FAL) for the A320 family. This new line is slated for completion in the second quarter of 2025, with the first aircraft expected to be delivered later that year. Additionally, the workforce is set to increase by another 500 employees by next year.

Once all construction is completed, the Mobile facility will encompass over three million square feet. Daryl Taylor, the General Manager, is optimistic that this expansion will enable Airbus to produce the next 500 aircraft more rapidly than the first. However, current supply chain constraints have posed challenges, prompting Airbus to adjust its delivery forecasts earlier this year.