Airbus Group (EPA:AIR) has left itself playing catch up once again, after reporting a near 9% monthly fall in deliveries during July.
Though the figure takes the supplier’s deliveries to 381 aircraft for the year so far, the rollout of 65 jets in July, compared to 72 in June, will have to be built on in the coming months if Airbus is to hit targets.
Airbus will have to deliver an average of 68 jets a month for the remainder of the year to meet a targeted 720 shipments.
The figures come as the aviation industry is enjoying a post-pandemic boom in demand, which has seen the likes of easyJet PLC and Wizz Air Holdings recently pen orders with Airbus.
easyJet ordered 56 A320neo family models from the supplier in May, building on purchases made last year, while Wizz struck a deal for 75 A321neos on Wednesday, taking the number of jets it is waiting for to 434.
Concerns have been raised over the ability of Airbus and rival The Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) to meet growing demand though, with both having issued warnings of delays earlier this year.
Although Airbus’ chief commercial officer reassured “more predictable” industrial patterns were emerging in May, new issues relating to Pratt & Whitney engines – used to power some of its narrow-body jets - threaten to worsen delays.
“We are watching Airbus deliveries carefully in the face of (P&W’s) announcement on manufacturing defects on certain of its gear turbofan engines,” Air Lease boss John Plueger said on Thursday.