Slow Airbus deliveries raise fresh questions over annual target

Airbus deliveries are closing September at a slower pace than a year ago, raising increased questions over the European planemaker's ability to hit a revised annual target, analysts and industry sources said. In July, Airbus issued a profit warning and lowered its full-year delivery target to 770 aircraft from 800, blaming shortages of engines and other items. It pushed back an underlying medium-term production goal by a year to 2027. Delays in deliveries and the ramp-up in production of core narrowbody jets have triggered growing impatience inside Airbus, with CE Guillaume Faury voicing frustration over broadly flat production, people familiar with the company said. Airbus has delivered around 30 aircraft to date in September, bringing the total so far this year to some 477, data provided to Reuters by consultancy Cirium Ascend showed.<br/>