Airbus has announced that it is unlikely to meet its 2022 commercial aircraft delivery target. The manufacturer had hoped to deliver 700 commercial aircraft this year, but it looks set to fall short of that figure by around 70 aircraft by year-end.
The latest statistics show that in November, Airbus delivered 68 commercial aircraft to 40 different airline customers. This brings the year-to-date total to 565 aircraft delivered to 70 airline customers. Airbus cited the “complex operating environment” as the reason for the target not being met – the European manufacturer has been no stranger to supply chain issues this year.
Airbus also announced that it has downgraded the expected production rate for its A320 family aircraft. The manufacturer had originally planned to deliver 75 Airbus A320 family aircraft per month, however this target has now been decreased to 65 per month for the next two years. That said, Airbus remains confident that it will reach a delivery rate of 75 per month by 2025, which will go some way to clearing the backlog of outstanding orders.
Airbus orders and deliveries in November
Airbus confirmed that in November, it received a total of 29 orders and made 68 deliveries. Let’s take a closer look at some of the airlines to make orders and receive aircraft deliveries last month.
An order for six Airbus A220-300s came from Croatia Airlines, which will replace the carrier’s existing aging fleet. Also among the airline customers with the largest orders was British Airways. The London Heathrow-based carrier placed an order for four Airbus A320neos and two Airbus A321neos. Fellow IAG airline Aer Lingus also ordered two Airbus A320neos.
Among the 68 aircraft to be delivered was an Airbus A220-300 that went to Air France. Lufthansa received one Airbus A321neo, and both Iberia and Delta Air Lines took delivery of one Airbus A350-900 each. For Iberia, this brings the total number of A350s in the airline’s fleet to 14, each seating a total of 348 passengers in a three-class configuration.
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How do these figures compare to Boeing?
Airbus is currently delivering around 65 of its A320 family aircraft per month. Rival manufacturer Boeing, on the other hand, is currently averaging 31 deliveries per month of its narrowbody equivalent, the Boeing 737 MAX.
Boeing’s production and certification struggles have been well-documented in recent months. However, the manufacturer recently announced an increase in production, and with an order backlog of almost 4,000 aircraft, this cannot come quickly enough. The vast majority of the delivery backlog is made up of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, in addition to Boeing 787s and Boeing 777s.
Find out more about Boeing’s recent increase in aircraft deliveries here.
What do you think of Airbus’ latest order and delivery statistics? Are you surprised that the manufacturer will not be able to reach its commercial aircraft delivery target this year? Share your thoughts by commenting below.