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Staff employed by planemaker Airbus have reportedly denied company claims the weak US dollar is threatening the manufacturer's survival.

While the strength of the euro against the greenback is a problem for the business, it does not threaten its existence, Airbus' workers' council told German newspaper Berliner Zeitung.

The denial follows reports Airbus' chief executive told staff in Germany the dollar's decline was "life-threatening" for the firm.

Thomas Enders is understood to have made the comments during a speech in Hamburg, in which he warned further cuts would be necessary at the company in order to counter the impact of the weakening currency.

Airbus, which employs around 13,000 people in the UK, is particularly vulnerable to foreign exchange fluctuations because while it operates within the eurozone, its products are sold in dollars.

Mr Ender's warning comes after the greenback hit new lows against the euro this week, amid growing concerns about the health of the US economy.

Earlier this month Airbus' parent company EADS reported a higher than expected third-quarter loss and warned it may need to expand its cost cutting plans in the wake of the dollar's continuing decline.

The company already proposes to shed 10,000 jobs over a four-year period as part of its Power8 restructuring plan - launched last year to combat the impact of the problem and achieve savings.

Speaking at the time EADS chief executive Louis Gallois stressed: "The sliding trajectory of the US dollar confirms the necessity to implement and to reinforce Power8 with additional measures."

"There is no way around additional efficiency measures to ensure EADS’ long-term competitiveness," he added.