Airbus Q1 industrial deliveries fell by 11% to 127 jets, highlighting the pressure on global supply chains. During the same period in 2022, there were 140 physical deliveries after adjusting to reflect Western sanctions on Russia.
Airbus has not commented and likely won’t until after competitor Boeing reports deliveries, likely within days. Airbus started the year with a one-third drop in deliveries in January but reduced the deficit to 11% in March from 16% in February.
The culprit? Continuing industrial and supply chain problems that now involve premium wide-body cabins. Airbus announced it will double its capacity in China and strengthen access to the world’s second-largest aviation market by building a second Chinese assembly line. The company also strengthened a “watchtower” system to monitor lower tiers of the supply chain.
