Airbus Expects Delivery Delays Into 2025

Reuters reports that future delivery delays for aircraft across the Airbus family are expected as the plane maker battles with supply chain difficulties.

Airbus Timeline For Delays

According to an industry source, Airbus is now facing a fresh delay in delivering some aircraft. The plane maker expects new jets towards the latter stages of 2024 and some parts of 2025 to incur the bulk of the new delays.

The newest delays will now see deliveries pushed back several months. However, this timeline is subject to change and thus could have a more extensive or shorter delay depending on how supply chains trend.

While Airbus enjoyed a successful January with a significant boost in deliveries, showing a 50% rise from one year prior, there are still difficulties.

The European plane maker cites the complex operating environment, a reason that has been used for several years, especially following the pandemic, that seems to have no true let up.

In 2023, Airbus was able to, at the very least, achieve its delivery goal of 720 aircraft by reaching 735 units; to increase this goal in 2024, the manufacturer will believe it can get this.

However, the reality is that despite reaching goals, the backlog for aircraft is substantial, and with associated delays, the aircraft outgoings cant keep up with the new orders booked.

An Industry Wide Problem

Airbus isn’t alone in experiencing delivery delays; Boeing is also experiencing this problem, ignoring their ongoing quality-related difficulties.

For single-aisle aircraft which are also the most in-demand aircraft type currently delays are are a common occurrence, for an airline to acquire a single aisle such as the 737 MAX or A320neo family jet on time is considered by some companies in the industry to be impossible.

Ultimately, aircraft delays have a trickle-down effect on the manufacturer and the airlines slated to operate those aircraft long into the future.

These effects include an impact on finances, alongside airlines having to readjust their potential retirement schedule of inefficient aircraft to cover for capacity.

Aircraft Programs Sold Out Too

While there are visible delivery delays, another problem for Airbus currently is that its A320 family is essentially sold out into the 2030s. As a result, the plane maker cannot capitalise on some of the persistent issues impacting Boeing and the doubt cast on some customers.

While this can be primarily attributed to Airbus’ success in the market and thus the inability to serve all the available demand, supply chain problems impact their opportunity to advance further.

Single-aisle aircraft are always in high demand, and plane makers must ensure smooth production processes to continue a solid aircraft output.