Holding a degree in Aerospace Technology, Tom is a certified pilot and a passionate specialist in European aviation. As Content Manager of Simple Flying, he leads the content team overseeing all aspects of Simple Flying's daily output. Tom works closely with airlines around the world to provide topical content and has provided commentary for other outlets, including the BBC. Based in Frankfurt, Germany.
Airbus Commercial Aircraft CEO, Lars Wagner, told the media in Toulouse that a decision on stretching the Airbus A220 and Airbus A350 would come before 2030. He added that there is "clearly" a demand for longer A220s and A350s from the industry. Rumors of stretches to both aircraft have been floating around throughout 2026.
On Wednesday, Airbus hosted media at its Toulouse headquarters to reveal its 2026-2045 Global Services Forecast (GSF). During the day, Wagner took time to address the assembled media, including answering questions on a range of topics, including stretched aircraft, future propulsion options, and the future of the in-service Airbus A380 fleet.
Will We See A Stretch Of The A350?
When it comes to large aircraft, some carriers such as Emirates have been very vocal about the need for larger aircraft options now that the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 are no longer being produced. At last year's Dubai Airshow, Wagner's predecessor, Christian Scherer, remarked that the aircraft manufacturer was exploring options for a potential larger variant.
Those ambitions haven't died under Wagner's leadership. Addressing the media, Wagner touched on the topic, further clarifying his comments during the Q&A that followed. He remarked,
"When I travel the world, when I see our customers, the airline CEOs are asking us... There's clearly a demand with our high-tier customers for a longer and stretched A350."
The Stretched A220 Is Also In Demand
Interestingly, it is not just widebody customers that are demanding a stretched Airbus aircraft. This summer, rumors of a stretched "A220-500" have been rampant. Airbus hasn't so far ruled it out, but has declined to go all in on such a variant. Wagner sticks to this position, adding, "There's clearly a demand for a longer and a stretched 220."
This was reiterated by Airbus Canada CEO Guillaume Chevasson during a June Simple Flying visit to Airbus' Mirabel site. Chevasson then said,
"Well, we've been working very long, and we have accelerated the studies on the stretch. It's been no secret that we have been looking at the potential stretch. But this year there has been a particular focus on it. We're talking internally with engineering. There's a lot of work happening... We want to be ready soon to make a decision.
What Sort Of Timelines Are We Looking At?
During the Q&A session in Toulouse today, Wagner addressed the time frame of making a decision on stretching the A220 and A350, adding:
"The market is demanding these products, so we obviously don't want [the launch] to be at the end of a five-year time frame. We decide when we have a business case. We decide when we go [for approval] to the board, but it won't be 2030."
The decisions on the respective aircraft stretches will likely be made separately, especially as it involves both widebody and narrowbody aircraft. However, we have seen that simply stretching an aircraft isn't an easy procedure. Take the Airbus A350, for example. The initial freighter test aircraft took its first flight two weeks ago and will undergo 400 hours of flight testing. That aircraft was first announced five years ago in 2021.
The Airbus A350F has the same engine type as the Airbus A350-1000. However, a stretched Airbus A350 would need a new engine for propulsion. Rolls-Royce previously said that a stretch to the aircraft type would need up to seven years of engine development time.
But Airbus has a third problem. Simple Flying understands that the A350 order book currently stretches out to the 2030s. Before stretching the jet, the plane maker will need to increase production capacity to accommodate the increased demand. In any case, it seems that an A220 stretch would likely come before an A350 stretch.