European aerospace titan Airbus SE is navigating a newly identified industrial quality complication impacting multiple dozens of its best-selling A320neo-family aircraft, according to industry sources familiar with the matter. The issue, centered on potential flaws within specific fuselage panels, has initiated delays in handing over completed jets to airline customers. Investigations into the root cause are currently underway.
While the discovery poses a significant challenge to the manufacturer’s ambitious year-end delivery objectives, sources indicate there is no immediate evidence suggesting the flaw has propagated to aircraft already in active commercial service. The company has maintained a position of no immediate public commentary on the developing situation.
This production setback emerges at a critical juncture for Airbus, which is simultaneously managing the operational fallout from a separate weekend recall of jets to address an unrelated software anomaly. The confluence of these events is stretching the company’s industrial resources as it pushes to meet its stated annual target.
Preliminary data suggests the disruption may already be materializing. November delivery figures, reported at 72 aircraft, fell short of many analyst projections. This brings the yearly total to approximately 657 jets. To achieve its publicly stated goal of ‘around 820′ deliveries for 2025, Airbus must now execute an unprecedented December, requiring the handover of over 160 aircraft—a figure that would surpass the current monthly record of 138 set in 2019.
The financial implications are substantial, as a significant portion of an aircraft’s revenue is recognized upon delivery. Analyst sentiment on the feasibility of this year-end push is mixed. Some, like Jefferies’ Chloe Lemarie, acknowledge the November shortfall but suggest underlying production rates could still support the target. Others, including independent analyst Rob Morris, project a final tally closer to 800 deliveries, noting a tangible risk of the outcome falling marginally short of the official forecast.