Airbus delivered 53 aircraft in Might, down 16% from the identical month final 12 months and bringing the variety of airplanes handed over to clients since Jan. 1 to 256, the planemaker mentioned on Thursday.
It’s concentrating on 800 deliveries for the 12 months.
Demand for plane is powerful as a result of air journey is staging a robust restoration concurrently provides of recent airplanes are tight, notably at U.S. planemaker Boeing.
Reuters reported on Monday that Airbus, which has headquarters in France, had delivered round 50 plane in Might. Business sources mentioned it had been concentrating on nearer to 60 deliveries for the month.
Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie described the revealed tally of 53 deliveries as a “setback”.
Whereas Might was affected by a excessive variety of weekday holidays in France, the place Airbus has two out of eight narrow-body meeting traces, Airbus should obtain “vital catch-up” to succeed in secure deliveries for the quarter, Lemarie mentioned in a word.
That comes as Airbus can also be dealing with new strain on the underlying manufacturing of single-aisle jets due to components and labour shortages, Reuters reported final week.
There isn’t a quick connection between manufacturing and deliveries as a result of Airbus features a buffer in its plans in opposition to delays to guard its supply targets, analysts say. However business sources mentioned manufacturing of a number of dozen jets might be delayed within the second half of the 12 months, placing renewed strain on the planemaker’s industrial ramp-up.
Airbus additionally mentioned on Thursday it had offered 27 airplanes in Might, together with 20 A330neos to an unidentified buyer.
The upgraded A330 wide-body jet is likely one of the few out there varieties of plane in a market beset by widespread shortages within the midst of surging demand for newer fashions just like the A350 and Boeing 787, delegates mentioned at an airline summit this week.
Thus far this 12 months, Airbus has offered 254 airplanes, or a internet complete of 237 after cancellations.