Airbus has announced it’s delivered 220 jets to 61 customers so far this year – up 38 per cent on the same period in 2020.
In May, Airbus delivered 50 aircraft to 32 customers, including A220s, A320s (38neo), A330neos and A350s.
The European planemaker faced a turbulent 2020, but due to higher vaccination rates and borders beginning to reopen, is slowly increasing orders and deliveries amidst the Covid recovery.
Airbus this May had a total of 94 gross orders, with 125 cancellations, resulting in minus 31 net orders. May last year saw 365 gross orders with 66 cancellations, however net orders resulting in 299.
In April, Airbus had a total of 22 cancellations compared to this month, which increased significantly.
Avolon ordered 18 narrow-body A320neo and 12 A321neo jets, however, they were cancelled. Delta airlines orders 25 A321neo jetliners, however, they were cancelled. Volaris ordered two A320neo’s, and they were also seen to have been cancelled.
Germany’s Lufthansa ordered five A350-900 wide-body jets; however, they were all cancelled. This would be the first order for the A350 family in over a month. They also bought five competing Boeing 787-9 jetliners due to a fleet restructuring shuffle, according to Reuters.
Recent disputes with Airbus and Qatar over quality control will potentially see the A350 family drop in orders, especially from the Doha based airline in the future. The production of the A350 family is roughly five per month, expected to increase in autumn 2022 according to Airbus.
Competitor Boeing will be announcing its figures this week, and while the planemaker has previously exceeded Airbus in orders, issues with the 737 MAX aircraft, due to electricity problems, has forced a lag in its deliveries.
