Interview - Airbus could raise A320 output again: exec

PHOENIX (Reuters) - Airbus could commit to a new production increase for its A320 jet family before the end of the year, but a final decision depends on its top management and the health of the supply chain, its sales chief said on Monday.

Sales chief John Leahy made the prediction days after the European planemaker announced plans to raise production from 42 planes a month now to 50 a month in 2017, almost matching a monthly rate of 52 targeted by Boeing for 2018 onwards.

"Some time before the end of the year I think it is possible, subject to the executive committee of Airbus and the board of Airbus Group," Leahy said, noting that Chief Executive Tom Enders had already spoken of potential rates above 60.

"The demand is clearly there; it is purely a question of studying the supply chain and making sure we can deliver smoothly and in a proper ramp-up," he told Reuters.

Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of an industry conference, Leahy played down expectations that Airbus would make a decision on whether to upgrade its largest model, the double-decker A380, in time for the Paris Airshow in June.

He said it would take most of this year for the European group to decide on whether to upgrade the superjumbo with new engines, a move requested by its top customer Emirates.

He earlier told the Istat air finance conference that Airbus would not build the 525-seat plane just for one customer and would make up its mind solely on the basis of the business case.

He expressed confidence that China would order "up to 100" of the current version of the 250-300-seat A330 wide-body jetliner before the June event.

"China is still there and many other deals are still there," Leahy said.

Airbus has been negotiating for months to sell A330s to China while offering to invest in an A330 completion centre at Tianjin, where it already assembles smaller planes.

"I believe the Chinese will support our completion centre at Tianjin," Leahy said.

Airbus last year launched an upgraded version of its wide-body twinjet called the A330neo.

Asked how many of the current version Airbus still needed to sell over the next couple of years in order to secure a smooth transition at the new production rates, Leahy said, "I think we should be comfortable at 100 to 150".

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Ken Wills and Stephen Coates)