Airbus Hands Over 30 Jets in December, Year-End Pressure Builds

Airbus handed over roughly 30 aircraft in the first half of December, lagging its usual year-end delivery surge, as some customers postpone accepting jets amid uncertainty over inspection requirements tied to a fuselage quality issue, according to industry sources and analysts cited by Reuters. The slower pace leaves the manufacturer with more than 100 aircraft to deliver in the final weeks of the month to reach its revised full-year goal of about 790 jets. Airbus delivered 657 aircraft through November.

Cirium data showed 29 deliveries as of Dec. 12, said analyst Rob Morris. “To deliver another 104 aircraft and still meet guidance would be an exceptionally demanding task at this stage of the month,” he said. Airbus declined to comment on mid-month delivery data, noting only that deliveries are typically weighted toward year-end.

Earlier this month, Airbus trimmed its 2025 delivery target by about 4%, cutting expectations from roughly 820 aircraft to around 790. Chief Executive Guillaume Faury cited weaker-than-expected November deliveries following the identification of a quality issue affecting fuselage panels on some A320-family jets. The issue triggered additional inspections, slowing handovers.

Several airlines are holding off on deliveries until Airbus provides clearer inspection guidance, industry sources said. The checks could affect as many as 628 aircraft, including planes still in production and others already delivered. Some carriers are also seeking compensation or revised warranty terms to offset the disruption. Airbus declined to comment on commercial negotiations.

The company has said the fuselage panel issue does not pose a safety risk. It follows a separate software recall earlier this year related to a vulnerability linked to cosmic radiation exposure, identified after a JetBlue aircraft experienced a mid-air loss of altitude.

Despite the December slowdown, Airbus continues to outpace Boeing in annual deliveries, a key revenue driver. However, the company said last week it now expects to lose the yearly order race for the first time in six years, reflecting broader pressures across the commercial aircraft sector.