CORRECTED - Airbus says A220 jet receives approval for longer-range routes

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Europe’s Airbus said on Monday its Canadian-developed A220 jet had won approval to fly up to three hours away from the nearest airport in the event of a shutdown of one of its two engines, a safety standard which underpins its use on longer-range routes.

The green light has been given by Canada, while approvals in the United States and Europe are still pending, Airbus officials said at a briefing. The extended operations or ETOPS approval affects the number of routes the plane can fly over water or remote areas.

Airbus took control of the loss-making aircraft programme from Canada’s Bombardier in mid-2018. An Airbus executive said the company is looking for double-digit-percentage cuts in unit costs, partly from suppliers.

(This version of the story was corrected to show that US/European approval still pending after Airbus officials clarify earlier comments)

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Richard Lough and Jan Harvey)

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