Airbus on track for delivery goal, despite A350 handover snag

Airbus is on track to meet its 600-jet delivery goal for 2021, according to people familiar with the situation, though holdups with the handover of some wide-body aircraft have complicated the issue. As of mid-December the European planemaker had shipped around half of the 82 jets it must deliver this month to meet the full-year goal, according to one of the people, who asked not to be named discussing production matters. The push has been hindered by snags involving completed twin-aisle A350s not yet accepted by airlines. Russia’s Aeroflot postponed the handover of two because traffic levels aren’t sufficient, a spokesman said, while some China-bound planes are said to be on hold and may ship in coming days. Ethiopian Airlines Group said it will take two jets this month under a revised plan. Airbus faces what’s become an annual scramble to accelerate build rates in order to meet one of its main metrics, though this year the push may be especially challenging as suppliers struggle to lift parts production after shuttering factories at the height of the coronavirus crisis. Some airline customers have also pushed back deliveries to preserve cash while they await a recovery in long-haul travel demand.<br/>