PARIS (Reuters) – Airbus narrowly missed its main delivery target of 2024, temporarily releasing more than 765 jets to airlines and lessors, industry sources said, citing preliminary data.
Airbus theoretically delivered more than 122 planes in December, bringing the total for the year to just over 765, they said.
Airbus declined to discuss any details ahead of its annual commercial update scheduled for January 9.
“Until then we cannot comment on the figures as our figures are currently being revised according to the normal process,” the spokesman said.
The European planemaker forecast “around 770” deliveries after cutting its July target due to supply problems and avoided a potential second profit warning after reaching a deal on additional engine deliveries in November.
But interior inventory remains a persistent problem, and some deliveries have had to be delayed due to complex negotiations between the airline, plane manufacturers and seat suppliers, leaving the 770 target just out of reach, the sources said.
Broadly watched core production of single-pass jets reached around 60 per month after stagnating at around 50 as supply chains struggled to recover from the pandemic, the sources said. Airbus aims for 75 per month in 2027.
Delivery details are subject to revision and can change at the last minute, with discretion allowed as to whether deliveries can be booked before the change of ownership is complete, although one source said such “paper” deliveries fell in 2024.
Airbus had already set the stage for a slight miss on its delivery target by telling analysts that a shortfall of anything less than 20 jets would not be considered significant, and therefore not severe enough to warrant a new profit warning.
An Airbus spokesman reiterated that margin of error, noting that CEO Guillaume Faury referred to a range of plus or minus 20 when discussing third-quarter results in October.
Airbus generates most of its operating profit and most of its cash flow from commercial aircraft deliveries.
Bloomberg News reported Thursday that Airbus has delivered about 760 planes in 2024.
Airbus will provide forecasts for 2025 with full results on February 20.
