Airbus hints at compromise on job cuts in exchange for govt-funded schemes

Europe's Airbus left the door open on Wednesday to scaling back its planned 15,000 job cuts in exchange for government-funded labour schemes and research, as its coronavirus restructuring stoked political and union alarm.

Europe's largest aerospace group plans to cut 11% of its global workforce, after a 40% slump in its 55 billion euro ($61.8 billion) jet business, sparking anxiety about compulsory redundancies in France, Germany, Spain and Britain.

France urged Airbus to make as few forced layoffs as possible, while French and German unions said compulsory cuts at the European planemaker were a "red line".

"The state urges Airbus to ensure that