Manufacturer Reduced Its Commercial Aircraft Target from 820 to 790

Airbus has backed down from its initial 2025 commercial aircraft delivery target, cutting its projection from 820 aircraft to approximately 790 after dealing with defects affecting thousands of A320-family aircraft. The adjustment, announced on December 3, comes as the company recovers from one of its most significant share plunges in years.

According to the company, the quality issue involved metal fuselage panels manufactured with incorrect thickness. The defect was found on a limited number of A320-family aircraft currently in production, forcing Airbus to quickly contain the problem and rework or replace impacted components. While the company confirmed that all newly produced panels are now up to par, the disruption slowed the A320 production flow at a time when deliveries were already running behind schedule.

Shortly before the structural issue was exposed, Airbus discovered that more than 6,000 A320-series aircraft required an urgent software update to address a flight-control computer vulnerability linked to solar flare activity. Most aircraft received the update within 48 hours, but approximately 900 older models required additional hardware modifications before the software could be applied, resulting in extended ground time.

The combined effect of the software issue and the fuselage-panel defect has weighed heavily on Airbus’s year-end production numbers. The company is estimated to have delivered 72 aircraft in November, bringing its year-to-date total to 657… putting it far short of the pace required to meet its original 820-aircraft target, and still making the revised goal of 790 a stretch. The company released its November orders and deliveries report on December 5.

Airbus shares saw a sharp decline as details of the A320-series problems emerged, dropping nearly 11% at one point before partially climbing. Investor concern centers on the A320 program’s key role in Airbus’s commercial aircraft business and its obvious sensitivity to production disruptions.

FMI: www.airbus.com