空客（AIR.PA）计划“尽快而非拖延”地决定提高其A350宽体喷气式飞机的产能，其商业首席执行官拉尔斯·瓦格纳表示，这是飞机制造商在与波音竞争加剧的背景下需要做出的一系列相对近期决策之一。
Airbus (AIR.PA) plans to decide "sooner rather than later" on increased production capacity for its A350 wide-body jet, its commercial CEO Lars Wagner said, part of a trio of relatively near-term decisions for the planemaker as its rivalry with Boeing intensifies.
作为全球最大的飞机制造商，空客也在积极研究推出A350的更大版本以及其最小机型——亏损的A220的更大版本，这两个项目的决策预计将在五年规划期初期做出。
The world's largest planemaker is also actively studying launching bigger versions of the A350 as well as its smallest model, the loss-making A220, with decisions on both projects expected towards the beginning of a five-year planning period.
“提高A350产出速率的决定是不可避免的。我们将这么做，因为市场显然需要更多飞机，”瓦格纳在接受采访时说，“这是一个重大决定，所以我们需要提交董事会审议。但这将会在较早的时候发生。”空客目前只有一条碳纤维喷气式飞机的装配线，该线设计用于与波音轻量化的787和推迟的777X竞争。该厂房设计月产能为12至13架飞机。瓦格纳表示，要提高产能则需要新增装配线和工业系统。
"The decision for an increased rate on the A350 is inevitable. We're going to do it because the market clearly demands more aircraft," Wagner told a "It's a big decision, so we need to bring it to the board of directors. But this is going to happen rather sooner than later." Airbus has one assembly line for the carbon-fibre jet, designed to compete with Boeing's lightweight 787 and delayed 777X. The plant was designed to handle 12 to 13 jets a month. Going higher would need a new line and industrial system, Wagner said.
另外，他表示，显然存在对更长座位更多的A350（广泛称为A350-2000）以及大约130座的A220的更大版本（称为A220-500）的需求。
Separately, he said, there is "clearly demand" for a longer A350 with more seats, widely dubbed the A350-2000, and a bigger version of the roughly 130-seat A220, known as the A220-500.
前MTU航空发动机首席执行官、今年接掌空客最大业务部门的瓦格纳拒绝透露空客是否可能在为新版本提供动力时削弱罗尔斯-罗伊斯（RR.L）作为A350唯一发动机供应商的地位。
The former MTU Aero Engines CEO, who took the helm of Airbus' largest division this year, declined to say whether Airbus might loosen Rolls-Royce's (RR.L) position as sole engine maker on the A350 when it comes to powering the new version.
业内人士表示，空客曾考虑为大约400座的A350-2000使用GE航空航天的发动机，但该发动机制造商目前表现出的兴趣有限。
Industry sources say Airbus has toyed with using an engine from GE Aerospace for the roughly 400-seat A350-2000, but that the engine maker has so far shown limited interest in joining.
瓦格纳重申，尽管最近出现工业质量问题，空客对实现年底交付目标充满信心。
Wagner reiterated that Airbus was confident of reaching its year-end delivery goals despite recent industrial quality flaws.
从长期来看，空客继续研究在2030年左右推出全新单通道喷气式飞机的“设想”时间点，他表示。
Longer term, Airbus continues to look at a "notional" date of 2030 for launching an all-new single-aisle jet, he said.