Airbus (AIR.PA) has rebuffed calls by aircraft leasing companies to temper plans to almost double production of its best-selling A320 jet family, telling them its ambitions are justified by expectations for post-pandemic demand, industry sources said.

Major lessors have joined engine makers in warning Airbus that an aggressive output increase to a new peak above 70 aircraft a month could upset the market and hurt plane values while a recovery from the coronavirus crisis remains fragile.

The latest approach came in separate letters to Airbus from at least two of the world’s largest leasing companies, the sources said, confirming a Financial Times report.

Airbus has responded by saying it is sticking to its plans, which involve a firm target of 64 A320-family jets a month in the second quarter of 2023, along with studies to raise monthly output to 70 in early 2024 and 75 by 2025.

That compares with about 40 A320-family jets a month now and what was then a record level of 60 before the COVID-19 crisis. Read more