Airbus posts lower deliveries, wins bumper order from private customer

Airbus deliveries fell in August after a sharp spike in the previous month, the European planemaker said on Friday, a decline which analysts said leaves it with the task of achieving solid year-on-year growth to meet an annual target. The planemaker said it had delivered 47 aircraft, down from 77 in July, to reach 447 so far this year. It aims to reach 770 deliveries for the whole year after revising the target down during the summer due to delays in receiving engines, cabin equipment and other parts. Industry sources have said the supply chain remains fragile, "August is typically a weaker month for Airbus in terms of deliveries," Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie said in a note, adding that Airbus needed to raise deliveries by an average of 7% a month compared to last year's pace to reach its target. Airbus booked 46 new orders including 30 previously announced A330neos for Cathay Pacific, and a rare order from a single "private customer" for three A350-900s and three A320neos worth well over $1b at catalogue prices that tend to be used for one-off purchases without commercial airline discounts.<br/>