Airbus secures jet deliveries after crisis workarounds -sources

Airbus is set to deliver more than 600 jets this year after a strong first half driven in part by deals that allow some carriers to delay accounting for new planes on their balance sheets, industry sources said. The financial structures are part of a raft of innovations and compromise deals thrashed out by the European planemaker as it tries to keep cash rolling in during the pandemic. Most analysts expect the recent delivery trend to contribute to solid first-half results on Thursday. Airbus has predicted full-year deliveries at least equivalent to last year’s total of 566, down 34% from 2019. In this year’s first half, Airbus delivered 297 aircraft after a surge in June, putting it on course to exceed full-year targets given its pattern of speeding deliveries late in the year, according to industry sources and some analysts. Internally, the planemaker is provisionally aiming for more than 600 deliveries this year, several sources said. Deliveries are vital for aerospace companies because they mark the point at which the bulk of a jet’s value - ranging from $40m or more - reaches the manufacturer’s coffers and help defray huge development costs.<br/>