Airbus Aircraft Deliveries and Sales Update

Airbus announced on Thursday that it delivered 53 aircraft in May, representing a 16% decrease compared to last year. The number of airplanes delivered to customers since January 1st has reached 256. Despite this decline, Airbus remains committed to its annual target of 800 deliveries.

Industry Dynamics:

The demand for aircraft remains strong as air travel continues to recover vigorously. However, the supply of new airplanes is constrained, particularly at U.S. planemaker Boeing. Airbus’s ability to meet delivery targets is crucial in this context.

Analyst Chloe Lemarie from Jefferies described the May delivery figure as a “setback.” While acknowledging that May was impacted by weekday holidays in France, Lemarie emphasized the need for Airbus to achieve significant catch-up to stabilize deliveries for the quarter.

Production and Delivery Challenges:

Airbus is facing challenges in underlying production due to parts and labor shortages. While there is typically a buffer in production plans to mitigate delays, industry sources suggest that several dozen jets could be produced in the second half of the year, potentially impacting Airbus’s industrial ramp-up.

Sales Update:

In addition to deliveries, Airbus reported selling 27 airplanes in May, including 20 A330neos to an undisclosed customer.

The A330neo, an upgraded wide-body jet, is one of the few available aircraft types in a market experiencing widespread shortages amidst surging demand for newer models like the A350 and Boeing 787.

Year-to-Date Sales Performance:

Airbus has sold 254 airplanes so far this year, resulting in a net total of 237 after cancellations. This underscores continued market demand for Airbus aircraft despite production and delivery challenges.