Airbus trims its annual delivery forecast after uncovering a fuselage-panel issue on the A320 family, its best-selling jet line. The problem has compelled inspectors to review hundreds of aircraft, prompting a revised delivery target of about 790 commercial planes for the year — a reduction of 30 from the prior goal of 820.
Over the weekend, airlines faced flight cancellations and delays as Airbus ordered immediate software fixes affecting roughly 6,000 A320s, impacting more than half of the global A320 fleet. Although most glitches were resolved by Monday, separate quality concerns emerged tied to metal panels at the front of certain aircraft.
A Reuters briefing cited by the presentation to airlines indicates 628 airplanes require inspection, comprising 168 already in service, 245 on assembly lines, and 215 in an earlier production phase called major component assembly. The panels in question are metal skins located behind the cockpit, adjacent to the two forward doors. The issue relates to incorrect thickness resulting from work performed by Sofitec Aero, a Seville-based supplier. No safety concerns have been reported about these panels.
Even with this setback, Airbus reaffirmed its financial outlook, aiming for an adjusted operating profit of around €7 billion for the full year.
When the recall cover was issued, more than 3,000 A320-family jets were airborne, just weeks after the A320 surpassed Boeing’s 737 to become the most-delivered aircraft model in history. Ongoing supply-chain disruptions have complicated operations, including engine-delivery delays from Pratt & Whitney and some aircraft undergoing maintenance-induced removals from service.
Airbus’ stock moved higher by over 2% on Wednesday morning but has yet to fully recover from declines tied to the initial software glitch reported earlier. The company is scheduled to disclose its November delivery figures on Friday.
