Airbus has appointed a new program chief to oversee the A220, marking a pivotal leadership change as the jet enters a critical ramp-up phase. The appointment comes amid increasing demand for efficient single-aisle twinjets, broader adoption of the A220 family by global operators, and pressure on deliveries and supply chains. FlightGlobal is reporting that the new head will now be tasked with overseeing the scaling of production while maintaining quality and profitability.
The new A220 program leader arrives at a moment when Airbus needs to balance growth with risk. The A220’s modern design, efficient engines, and clean-sheet design give it an edge versus older narrowbodies, but high costs and supply constraints are squeezing margins. Airbus will be watching how the new chief handles delivery targets, supplier alignment, and integration of A220 operations into its broader commercial aircraft business.
The New Head Of The A220 Program
On July 18, 2025, Airbus announced that it would appoint Guillaume Chevasson as head ot the Airbus A220 program and CEO of Airbus Canada Limited Partnership, succeeding Benoit Schultz. The change was made effective on October 1, 2025, and Chevasson is coming into the role as the company is in the final stages of ramping up A220 production, a key milestone in achieving profitability.
Chevasson, age 42, has been with Airbus since 2005. He was previously the Head of Finance & Controlling, Programmes and Services, for Airbus Commercial Aircraft, a position he first took on in 2020. Chevasson has been highly influential in the financial success of Airbus Commercial and has previously served as Vice Chairman of EFW and a board member for 
ATR and Aerostack.
Benoit Schultz was nominated as head of the A220 program in 2021. He oversaw a major growth phase for the A220 program, including the construction of a new delivery center, the inauguration of the current pre-assembly line, and the entry into service of the A220 flight and integration tests center. Schultz has been appointed as the Chief Procurement Officer of Airbus.
What The New Leader Will Be Stepping Into
The A220 program is currently in the final stages of production ramp-up to 14 per month. While the plane is reasonably popular, Airbus has struggled with lowering production costs, and this ramp-up is a major part of the manufacturer’s plan to make the program profitable. As such, Chevasson’s leadership will be instrumental in ensuring that this process is completed smoothly.
Key goals include reducing bottlenecks, improving quality metrics, and meeting production quotas. Additionally, Chevasson will be charged with ensuring coordination across all departments, such as supply chain and customer service, to ensure a smooth process from start to finish. This will be crucial to ensuring the A220’s future sales success.
The A220 continues to receive steady sales, but Airbus is first looking to improve the financial support of the program before further investment. As head of the A220 program, Guillaume Chevasson will bear the responsibility of making the program profitable, and he will be in charge of overseeing the changes that are meant to reach that goal.
The Future Of The Airbus A220 Program
The Airbus A220 (formerly the Bombardier C-Series) was acquired by Airbus in 2018. It consists of two variants: the A220-100 and the stretched A220-300. The A220-100 slots underneath the mainline airliners built by Boeing and Airbus, competing directly with the Embraer E2. The A220-300, meanwhile, faces off against the Boeing 737 MAX 7 and Airbus’s own A319neo.
The A220 has received 941 orders thus far, making it far more popular than the Embraer E2 or the 737 MAX 7 (as well as the A319neo). However, not only is the plane expensive to build, but it has no commonality with any existing Airbus products, as it was originally designed by Bombardier. This makes it an oddball in Airbus’s lineup. Additionally, the A220 has faced reliability issues in service primarily stemming from problems with its Pratt & Whitney PW1500G engines.
|
Aircraft |
Sales |
|---|---|
|
Airbus A220-100 |
118 |
|
Airbus A220-300 |
823 |
Airbus has stated that it wants the program to achieve profitability before any major investments are made. It’s widely believed that Airbus is exploring a further stretch of the plane, either dubbed the A220-500 or the A221, which would be sized similarly to the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX 8. While there appears to be demand for the jet, production needs to be profitable, and it’s Guillaume Chevasson who will bear the most responsibility for the program’s finances as its new head.
