Aerospace industry in Occitanie surpasses pre-Covid activity levels

The aerospace and space sector in Occitanie, France, has surpassed its pre-pandemic activity levels in 2025. According to an Insee report, the industry's turnover increased by 8% over the past year, placing it 3% above 2019 levels. While industrial turnover grew by 7% across manufacturers and suppliers, the services sector saw a 9% increase, driven largely by a 15% rise in IT activities linked to artificial intelligence productivity gains.

Despite this financial recovery, employment growth remains modest. The sector added approximately 800 jobs in 2025, representing a 0.7% increase. Production at Airbus has faced challenges, including supply chain disruptions regarding engines and fuselage panels, which led to revised delivery targets.

Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury noted an unprecedented order book, approaching 10,000 aircraft, with the A320 family being the most ordered and delivered commercial aircraft globally. Faury highlighted that demand is driven by both global traffic growth and the replacement of older models with more fuel-efficient and ecologically performant aircraft. He projected a demand for over 40,000 aircraft over the next 20 years.