Airbus reported a modest recovery in March deliveries, but first-quarter output remained under pressure as engine shortages and supply-chain disruptions continued to constrain production.
The pan-European plane maker delivered 60 aircraft in March, its strongest month of the year, bringing first-quarter deliveries to 114, down 16% from the same period in 2025 and extending a slowdown that has persisted since last year.
The weakness was concentrated in Airbus’s core narrowbody segment. Deliveries of the A320neo family (A319neo, A320neo and A321neo) fell sharply year-on-year, offsetting more stable performance in programmes such as the A220 and A350.
At the centre of the slowdown is Pratt & Whitney, whose geared turbofan engines power a significant portion of the A320neo fleet. Airbus has repeatedly warned that engine deliveries are arriving late, forcing it to temper production plans.
The disruption reflects a wider industry issue. Pratt & Whitney continues to deal with the fallout from a manufacturing defect that has led to inspections and repairs across hundreds of engines, tightening the availability of both new and spare powerplants. As a result, Airbus has effectively been competing with airlines for a limited pool of engines, delaying aircraft handovers.
Chief executive Guillaume Faury has said the shortages are a key factor shaping Airbus’s delivery targets for 2026, particularly for its most important product line.
Beyond engines, supply-chain issues, including delays in structural components, have added further pressure, leaving output well below pre-pandemic levels despite increased production capacity.
Airbus also recorded strong order activity in March, underlining continued demand for new aircraft. However, the latest figures highlight that the pace of deliveries, and ultimately revenue, remains constrained by bottlenecks outside the company’s direct control.
