Airbus says studying A320 production ramp-up beyond 50/month

MUNICH, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Airbus Group (Swiss: AIR.SW - news) is studying whether to increase its production rate for the A320 family single-aisle jet to beyond 50 per month, contemplating rates of 60 or more, its chief executive said on Friday.

"The demand is clearly there to move the rates to 60-plus," Tom Enders told journalists. "There are studies underway."

Airbus announced on Friday it would move production of the A320 to 50 from 2017 as it unveiled stronger than expected 2014 results.

Industry sources have said rival Boeing (NYSE: BA - news) is gauging supplier capacity for rates of 58 a month for its competing 737 jet, compared with current output of 42 and a 2018 target of 52.

Enders said the group was confident it would not have to take any more charges for the A400M military transporter in 2015.

"The provision we are taking is based on the view we have today of the challenges and extra costs... We're confident at this point we should not add further provisions in 2015 and hopefully not in other years," he told journalists.

He also said Airbus should start to see the benefits of the strong US dollar from 2017 onwards. (Reporting by Victoria Bryan and Cyril Altmeyer)