The aero engine company GE also shed hundreds of jobs at its plant at Nantgarw near Cardiff last October.

BBC: Jobs go as aerospace plant closes

GE's aero-engine facility at Nantgarw has axed hundreds of jobs while more than 100 posts are going at the Trefn aviation components - an Airbus supplier - at Llay near Wrexham.

BBC: Airbus warns of 1,300 job losses

It has been held back partly by the fact that the very long-range version has yet to be launched, because the three largest aero-engine makers have been reluctant to produce engines big enough to get it off the ground.

ECONOMIST: Aircraft making