Airbus Group in September announced it would merge with its planemaking unit, in a move aimed at reducing bureaucracy and simplifying its brand.

The CFTC union said that various Airbus works council groups had already been contacted over impending job reductions as a result of the plan, with 780 job cuts envisaged.

"With respect to the ongoing...process and in absence of any decision, we do not comment on any speculation in the media," an Airbus spokesman said when asked about the report.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and Julien Ponthus)