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Airbus CFO says incurring hiring and other costs for

output hike

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Aims to realise full efficiencies from investments over

time

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CFO reaffirms output goal of 75 A320neo jets a month in

2026

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Industry sources say ramp-up costs went over-budget in Q1

By Tim Hepher

April 10 (Reuters) - Airbus is incurring up-front costs

as it prepares for higher jet production and plans a breathing

space to absorb them once it reaches its output goal, its

finance chief said on Wednesday.

Airbus is targeting a roughly 50% increase in

production of its A320neo cash-cow to 75 planes a month by 2026.

But to lay the groundwork it has had to invest in thousands

of new workers and is building two new assembly lines.

"We want to pre-hire to be ready to achieve rate-75 in 2026.

But of course the costs are hitting us now while the full

efficiency only comes in 2026, and potentially 2027 when we are

at a stable rate," Chief Financial Officer Thomas Toepfer said

in an interview. Airbus is also building two new assembly lines.