Airbus Group (EPA:AIR) has begun warning airlines of delays among its A320neo jet family just days after similar comments from rival The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA).
Hundreds of deliveries of the narrow-bodied jets are set to be hit with three-month delays in 2024, Airbus said in an email seen by Reuters, due to supply chain bottlenecks left over from the pandemic.
As of 2021, the European-based manufacturer had orders for 8,600 variants of the A320, but has repeatedly trimmed back delivery targets, which now sit at 720 for 2023.
These remain unchanged, according to Airbus, which suggested the warnings were simply to provide more detail on its December decision to slim back targets.
easyJet PLC is among airlines waiting on deliveries from Airbus, having ordered 135 A320neo jets and 33 of the larger A321neos last July, with these expected between 2026 and 2029.
Reporting boosted half-year profits on Tuesday morning, easyJet reiterated that it kept “the option to alter the aircraft type of future deliveries”.
Airbus has emerged as the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer as Boeing continues to be hit by supply struggles after safety issues were found in its 737 Max between 2018 and 2019.
Boeing announced further delivery delays last week which are set to affect a “significant number” of aircraft.
Airbus shares fell 1% to €127 on the news.