The deal was first announced in July last year as part of a wider break up of the Spirit business.

Airbus finalised an agreement on Monday to take over some plants from Spirit AeroSystems in a carve-up of the struggling supplier with rival Boeing , as unions voiced fears over thousands of jobs in Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Europe's Airbus has finalised an agreement to take some assets from Spirit AeroSystems, both companies said last night, completing a critical part of a transatlantic carve-up of the struggling supplier with US rival Boeing.