PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus has begun notifying airlines of a new bout of delivery delays, pushing back some deliveries previously scheduled for late 2024 and parts of 2025 by several months amid ongoing supply problems, industry sources said on Friday.
An Airbus spokesperson declined to comment on delivery planning, but said: "We are in continuous dialogue with our customers. We are still operating in a complex environment."
Airbus began the year with a 50% rise in January deliveries compared to the same month of last year, which had been depressed by parts shortages and industrial bottlenecks.
But supplies of engines and other components remain relatively tight and shortages of aircraft that are needed to meet a recovery in demand could last for years, according to speakers at last week's Airline Economics conference in Dublin.
Air Lease (NYSE:AL) Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy told the conference that many Airbus and Boeing (NYSE:BA) single-aisle aircraft were already running "a year late, nine months late, eight months late. That's more the norm today".
Airbus exceeded its delivery target last year with 735 aircraft handed over to airlines and leasing companies. Jefferies analysts expect the European group to target around 800 deliveries for 2024 when it issues results on Feb 15.