Airbus has announced it will test folding wings on its next generation of aircraft, as the world's largest planemaker works to finalise the design of future commercial jets by the end of the decade. Longer, thinner wings made from lightweight composite materials offer significant fuel savings, but their extra span means they would not fit existing airport infrastructure, much of which is already operating at or near capacity, making folding wingtips a practical solution.

Airbus will fit four- to five-metre extensions to an A321neo, part of its best-selling A320 family, to test different wing shapes in real-world conditions during the second half of next year, with assembly beginning at its Broughton factory in north Wales. The initial tests will trial the fixing bolts only, with folding hinges to follow later. Airbus expects the new aircraft to feature gull-like bent wings and large-diameter engines, and is still deciding between enclosed and "open fan" engine designs; a final shape is due by 2030. Rival Boeing already uses folding wingtips on its twin-aisle 777X and is exploring wing-bracing "truss" technology, while Rolls-Royce is lobbying the UK government to back its UltraFan engine programme in hopes of securing a contract for the new single-aisle jets.