Airbus Sees Decrease in November Deliveries Due to Production Issues

Airbus, the prominent European manufacturer of aircraft, has reported a decline in deliveries for November owing to a production hiccup. The company managed to deliver 72 planes last month, totaling 657 aircraft for the year to date. This decline was anticipated by Airbus earlier this week.

This downturn adds significant pressure as the company aims to meet its updated yearly goal of approximately 790 planes for 2025. To achieve this, Airbus must deliver around 133 jets in December, nearing record levels for a single month.

Airbus CEO, Guillaume Faury, indicated that November's performance fell short of expectations due to an industrial issue. The complication arose from metal fuselage panels used in the A320 aircraft family, which were supplied by a Spanish manufacturer and failed to meet quality standards. This incident followed a recent recall to address a separate software bug on certain aircraft.

Despite facing multiple challenges this week, Airbus has maintained its financial outlook for the year. The company revised its delivery goal from 820 to about 790 jets, allowing for a margin of approximately 20 planes under the term “around.”

Although deliveries slowed, Airbus secured 75 new orders in November, boosting its total orders for 2025 to 797 gross. After accounting for cancellations, the net figure is at 700. This positions Airbus ahead of American rival Boeing in terms of deliveries, though Boeing leads in net orders for the year as of October.

The ongoing competition between these aerospace giants remains tight. Boeing, recovering from safety and production hurdles, recorded 782 net orders from January to October. Airbus is in a leading position for deliveries but needs a strong finish to the year to maintain that status.

This situation underscores the vulnerabilities inherent in aircraft manufacturing; a single quality concern can disrupt production across multiple facilities. The A320 family represents Airbus’ best-selling series, meaning any delay significantly impacts overall delivery totals.

Nevertheless, Airbus has navigated similar disruptions successfully in the past, with leadership expressing confidence in achieving its objectives. December is poised to be a pivotal month, with airlines worldwide closely monitoring their pending aircraft deliveries.