Airbus to use Tianjin as delivery hub

France-based Airbus SAS plans to make more direct aircraft deliveries to Asian carriers from Tianjin, a top company official said recently.

The European aircraft manufacturer said it aims to make the northern port city its Asian hub and indicated that the final assembly line in Tianjin would start its second phase of operations from 2016. This "opens the possibility of delivering directly to customers outside China", said Rafael Gonzalez-Ripoll, Airbus China chief operating officer.

The factory in Tianjin, Airbus' only final assembly line outside Europe, has delivered 172 aircraft to 13 carriers. It has only marginally delivered outside China through leasing companies. Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia is the only foreign airline operating a leased A320 assembled in Tianjin.