Airbus's A220 programme manager believes the airframer has improved its relationship with Italian supplier Leonardo, after a legal spat over aerostructures for the type.

Leonardo took legal action against Bombardier – when the A220 was still known as the CSeries – prior to Airbus's acquisition of the programme last July.

The Italian firm, which manufactures horizontal stabilisers and vertical fins for the twinjet, had claimed that it was being paid less than the agreed cost structure.

A220 programme chief Florent Massou tells FlightGlobal that the structures represented "one of the biggest critical items on the final assembly line".

"Over the past year we've worked hand-in-hand [with Leonardo]," he states, adding that the stabilisers and fin are being delivered "on time and on quality".

"We've made very good progress," says Massou. "Our relationship is good with Leonardo."

Source: Cirium Dashboard