Airbus has indicated that a lack of stable and reliable engine supplies for its best-selling A320 family of aircraft is restricting production increases and delivery schedules.
The company stated that monthly production of the A320 series is expected to reach 70–75 units by the end of next year, though it previously projected hitting the upper end of that range. Airbus anticipates delivering approximately 870 aircraft to customers this year, up from 793 in 2025.
CEO Guillaume Faury noted that severe shortages of Pratt & Whitney engines forced the company to push hard to meet last year’s delivery targets, yet it still had to lower its goal in the final weeks of the year. Although this year’s delivery target is set to be a record, Airbus has repeatedly had to adjust its delivery guidance over the past few years.
Airbus commented, "Pratt & Whitney’s failure to commit to the number of engines ordered by Airbus is negatively affecting this year’s performance guidance and production ramp-up."
In January of this year, Airbus deliveries fell to their lowest monthly level since 2020, marking the weakest start to a year in at least a decade. Meanwhile, rival Boeing has recovered from years of crisis, with deliveries rising to their highest level since 2018.
In the fourth quarter, Airbus reported adjusted EBIT of €2.98 billion, exceeding analysts’ average expectations. Quarterly revenue increased by 5% to €25.98 billion, slightly below the analyst forecast of €26.38 billion.