A person with direct knowledge of the matter said some deliveries were already being impacted, but there was no
immediate confirmation of how many nor for how long.
Industry sources said the planemaker delivered 72 aircraft in November, fewer than many analysts had previously expected and bringing the total for the year so far to 657.
The latest news comes days after a software recall triggered chaos at airports around the world. Credit: Sitthixay Ditthavong
It is targeting “around 820” deliveries for the year, meaning it would have to reach a record performance of more than 160 jets in December.
The record for the final month of the year was 138 in 2019.
Clock ticking on delivery targets
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Analysts were divided on whether the world’s largest airplane maker will meet the delivery goals, which determine revenue and cash flow as airlines pay much of a plane’s value on delivery.
Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie, who tracks the handover of aircraft and is forecasting 71 deliveries for November, said the month’s performance was weaker than expected.
The target remains within reach, however, as underlying production is rising, she added in a note to investors issued before word emerged of the reported quality problem.
Independent aviation analyst Rob Morris said Airbus could reach about 800 deliveries – which others say might be enough to claim victory based on the wording of its forecast – but with some risk that the final outcome will be “marginally lower”.
Reuters
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