Airbus Set to Acquire Spirit Airlines

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2025 September 18 . 3:00 AM

2 min read

Airbus Set to Acquire Spirit Airlines

In a significant move, Airbus and Spirit Aerosystems have announced a reorganization of their operations, with the European aircraft manufacturer set to compensate Spirit for the takeover of various plants. The compensation amount, originally set at $559 million, has been adjusted to $439 million due to changes in the transaction scope.

The news was announced on July 1, 2024, with Airbus agreeing to pay a nominal purchase price of $1 for the plants. The takeover is expected to be completed by the third quarter of this year.

The affected sites include the production facilities in Saint-Nazaire, France, and Morocco, which produce A350 fuselage sections and A321 and A220 components, respectively. In the United States, the sites in Kinston, North Carolina, and Wichita, Kansas, which produce A350 fuselage sections and A220 engine pylons, are also part of the deal.

However, Airbus has plans to acquire the production of wing components for the A320 and A350 in the Scottish Prestwick. In Northern Ireland, Airbus will take over A220 wing production and the manufacture of the middle A220 fuselage section, but only if Spirit AeroSystems does not find a buyer for that part of the site.

Interestingly, the production of A350 fuselage sections in Saint-Nazaire will be taken over by Stelia Aerospace. Stelia Aerospace, which currently manufactures the nose section and connects it with the front fuselage section in Saint-Nazaire, will now be responsible for the entire production process.

This reorganization is part of Airbus's strategy to achieve stability in the supply chain for its commercial aircraft programs. The company aims to take a more operationally and financially sustainable approach to key Airbus work packages.

Wolfgang Borgmann, a reporter for AERO INTERNATIONAL since February 2022, has been closely following this development. Borgmann, who has spent 30 years working as an aviation journalist, primarily covers the Industry & Technology section in the AERO INTERNATIONAL team. His enthusiasm for aviation was sparked by his parents, who were employed by airlines.

In addition to his journalistic career, Borgmann has written 32 books on the history of aviation in various facets. Before joining AERO INTERNATIONAL, Borgmann spent 22 years working as a freelance journalist and author. Prior to that, he held internship and permanent positions.

Spirit Aerosystems, meanwhile, plans to sell the Malaysian site of Subang to an external partner. The details of this sale are yet to be disclosed.

This reorganization marks a significant shift in the aviation industry, and we can expect to see more developments in the coming months. As always, AERO INTERNATIONAL will continue to bring you the latest updates on this story and other industry news.