Airbus Faces Slow November as Delivery Delays Hit Year-End Target

Post by : Saif Nasser

Airbus, the major European aircraft maker, has confirmed a drop in its November deliveries after facing an industrial problem on its production lines. The company delivered 72 planes in November, bringing its total for the year so far to 657. This number shows a slowdown that Airbus had already hinted at earlier in the week.

The fall in deliveries puts extra pressure on the company as it tries to meet its revised annual goal of “around 790” planes for 2025. To reach that target, Airbus now needs to deliver about 133 aircraft in December. This is a very high number for a single month and close to the company’s record levels.

The CEO of Airbus, Guillaume Faury, had warned that November was weaker than expected because of an industrial glitch. The problem involved the metal fuselage panels used in the popular A320 family of aircraft. These panels, supplied by a Spanish manufacturer, did not meet quality standards. This issue came only a few days after Airbus announced a recall to fix a separate computer bug on some of its planes.

The company has been dealing with several challenges this week, but it has not changed its financial expectations for the year. Instead, Airbus adjusted its delivery target from 820 to about 790 jets. In Airbus’ terms, “around” can include a difference of about 20 planes, giving the company a small buffer.

Even though deliveries slowed, Airbus still booked new orders in November. It received 75 fresh orders, increasing its total for 2025 to 797 gross orders. After removing cancellations, the net total stands at 700. While this keeps Airbus ahead of its American rival Boeing in deliveries, Boeing is currently ahead in net orders for the year through October.

The comparison between the two major aircraft makers remains close. Boeing, which has been recovering from its own safety and production problems, reported 782 net orders from January to October. Airbus is ahead in deliveries but needs strong year-end performance to maintain that lead.

The production challenges also highlight how fragile aircraft manufacturing can be. A single quality issue in one part can slow down output across several factories. For Airbus, the A320 family is its best-selling range, and any delay in this line has a big impact on totals.

Still, Airbus has worked through disruptions before, and its leadership says it is confident in meeting its goals. December will be a crucial month, and airlines around the world will be watching closely as they await their new aircraft.