The European planemaker delivered 64 aircraft in November, down 6% from the same month of 2021, to bring the total so far this year to 623 units. The tally leaves Airbus needing 97 deliveries in December to reach its full-year target of 720 deliveries, industry sources said. However, the company has yet to exclude the possibility that it might need to trim its goal as it closes out the year with a near-record backlog.
Airbus logged 144 net new orders in November, up from 307 in the same period last year. A late surge helped the tally in orders for the A220neo, which accounted for 88 of the planemaker’s total deliveries. The company also logged orders for the A320neo family of jets, including the minorest variants.
Airbus recorded 14 cancellations in November, similar to the number of cancellations the company registered in November 2021. In addition, it received 29 firm orders from six customers. British Airways and Condor, a charter airline, each ordered four A320neos; Delta Air Lines and Comlux Aviation ordered two A321neos; and Turkish Airlines placed an order for six A350-900s.
The company has yet to disclose its monthly delivery data, but industry sources say it will be available on Wednesday. The figures will help give a clear picture of whether the planemaker has the momentum to deliver on its 720-delivery target with weeks left in the year.
While the delivery tally is below expectations, the company’s backlog remains far ahead of rival Boeing’s, as measured by net new orders. According to calculations by Agency Partners, the number of aircraft to be built and delivered would represent 8.5 years of shipments at the 2019 production level or 12 years based on 2022 deliveries.
Airbus and Boeing have a strong balance sheet and the ability to accelerate jetliner production to meet customer demand. However, some analysts are concerned that a worsening economy may dampen travel and airplane demand next year. They warn that a winter energy crisis in Europe could also weigh on consumer spending.
Despite the challenges, Airbus and Boeing remain optimistic about underlying airplane demand. “As the global economy continues to slow, the underlying demand for airplanes is not as bad as people might think,” said Sash Tusa, chief economist at Agency Partners. “We’re still likely to see a relatively flat growth in production through 2025.”
