Airbus backlog shrinks in January due to dispute with Qatar

Airbus’s order backlog shrank by 16 aircraft in January, after the world’s biggest planemaker canceled 52 jets in a dispute with Qatar Airways. The European manufacturer reported 36 orders for the month, while subtracting 50 A321 single-aisles and two A350 widebodies after taking the unprecedented step of scrapping an agreement with one of its biggest customers. Airbus delivered 30 planes in January, an increase from the 21 handed over in January 2021. It also performed better in terms of orders, with no commitments in the same period a year earlier. The first month of the year is normally a slow one for Airbus after the typical December push to achieve sales targets and ship as many finished planes as possible. Yet the Toulouse-based company is starting the year in a deeper hole than usual due to an escalating dispute with Qatar over the surface quality of A350 wide-bodies. The Middle East carrier took the matter to court in December, and the planemaker responded by canceling the airline’s separate order for A321s. Airbus disclosed Tuesday that it took the additional step of pulling orders for two Qatar A350s. In a sign that the traditional market dynamic between Airbus and Boeing is returning after a difficult couple of years for the latter firm, the US company earlier reported 32 deliveries for January, including 27 of the resurgent 737 Max narrowbody. <br/>