This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
On July 9, 2020, Airbus reported a significant increase in plane deliveries for the month of June, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The European planemaker delivered 36 aircraft in June, a 50% increase from the 24 planes delivered in May and a low of 14 in April. Among the June deliveries were three wide-body A350-900 aircraft for European airlines.
However, despite the increase in deliveries, Airbus's first-half deliveries slid to a 16-year low. For the first half of 2020, deliveries fell by 49% to 196 planes, compared with 389 for the same period last year.
According to the company, gross orders remained at 365 jets, but net orders adjusted for cancellations slipped by one unit to 298, after lessor Avolon canceled one of 10 A330neos it had ordered.
As a result of travel restrictions and airlines grounding their fleet, Airbus initially planned to cut aircraft production by a third, but has now increased to 40%. This reduction in production will affect the A320 model, with the company producing only 40 per month, down from over 60, and reducing A350 rates to 6.
With airlines focusing on survival, Airbus posted no orders for a second month. The company does not expect air traffic to return to pre-pandemic levels until 2023 at the earliest and potentially not until 2025.
