Paris: Europe’s aerospace powerhouse Airbus has revised its 2025 commercial-aircraft delivery target downward, announcing that it now expects to deliver around 790 jets this year, compared to the original target of approximately 820 aircraft. The reduction follows the discovery of a supplier quality issue affecting fuselage panels on the A320 family, one of the world’s most widely used narrowbody jets.
Airbus explained that certain fuselage panels produced by supplier Sofitec Aero SL, based in Seville, were manufactured with incorrect thickness specifications. While the panels do not pose an immediate safety threat, the deviation requires extensive inspection and, in some cases, replacement, delaying assembly completion and delivery schedules.
A presentation shared with airline clients indicated that the defect could affect hundreds of aircraft, including approximately 40% of the A320 jets currently on the assembly line. The company has already begun rigorous quality inspections on affected units and implemented corrective measures to ensure compliance with its production standards.
The November delivery numbers illustrated the immediate impact of the problem. Airbus delivered just 72 aircraft in the month, substantially below projections and a sign of the bottleneck created by the panel issue. With only one month remaining in the year, achieving the initially planned 820 aircraft delivery would have required an extraordinary acceleration of production, something Airbus now considers unlikely.
Airbus reassured stakeholders, however, that 2025 financial guidance remains intact, noting that revenue and profit expectations are largely insulated from the delivery reduction. Analysts attribute this to the fact that production and delivery delays stem from supply chain challenges rather than reduced demand or design flaws.
The Airbus A320 family remains a cornerstone of global airline fleets. Its popularity has surged due to fuel efficiency, operational flexibility, and wide airline adoption. As of October 2025, the A320 officially surpassed the Boeing 737 in terms of total deliveries, cementing its position as a global best-seller.
The current supply-chain disruption highlights a persistent challenge for Airbus: balancing high-volume production with stringent quality control. The company has invested heavily in expanding final assembly lines in the United States and China to meet global demand, and the plan to reach 75 A320 units per month by 2027 underscores the pressure on the production ecosystem.
The delivery shortfall could have immediate operational and strategic consequences for airlines:
Fleet Expansion Delays: Carriers planning to expand or replace aging aircraft may face postponements, forcing continued reliance on older jets.
Route Planning Disruption: Launches of new routes or increased frequencies could be delayed, affecting revenue projections and customer service strategies.
Leasing Market Pressure: Aircraft leasing companies may experience increased demand for available jets, potentially affecting lease rates and availability.
Global Competition: Airlines considering Boeing alternatives may weigh delivery reliability alongside cost and efficiency, influencing future procurement decisions.
Airbus has already initiated inspections for all affected fuselage panels, both on aircraft under construction and those already delivered. Early assessments suggest that repairs or replacements could sideline some jets for three to five weeks, delaying handovers.
The company emphasized that these measures are precautionary and are not indicative of a structural safety issue. Airbus also stressed that lessons are being drawn to strengthen supplier oversight, improve quality checks, and avoid recurrence of similar production bottlenecks in the future.
Airbus is expected to gradually recover lost deliveries in the first half of 2026, depending on the speed of inspections and supply-chain normalization. Industry analysts note that while the shortfall is inconvenient, it is unlikely to damage Airbus’s long-term market leadership.
However, the episode underscores how a single supplier error can ripple across the global aviation supply chain, affecting airlines, lessors, and maintenance schedules worldwide. It also highlights the broader challenges facing manufacturers as they scale production to meet post-pandemic demand surges.
For airlines, timely coordination with Airbus on inspection schedules and delivery timelines will be crucial. For investors, the situation emphasizes the importance of supply-chain resilience and quality assurance in sustaining profitable growth in the highly competitive commercial aviation sector.
Airbus remains committed to maintaining delivery reliability and upholding the A320 family’s reputation for quality. While 2025 deliveries may fall short, the company continues to reassure clients and investors that corrective actions are under way, and the long-term prospects of the A320 program remain strong.