Airbus is said to face new quality problem on dozens of A320 aircraft

Airbus SE has discovered an industrial quality issue affecting fuselage panels of several dozen A320-family aircraft.

Airbus SE has discovered an industrial quality issue affecting fuselage panels of several dozen A320 aircraft, according to sources.

A file photo of an Airbus A-320 in Toulouse, France. (AFP)

The suspected production flaw is delaying some deliveries, but there are no immediate indications that it has reached the aircraft in service, the sources said on the condition of anonymity.

The origin of the problem could not immediately be identified.

Airbus hadn't immediately offered comment on the matter.

The fuselage issue comes even as Airbus beefs up efforts to meet its challenging delivery targets for the year amid a recall of A320 aircraft over a software bug.

Airbus A320 issues: Impact on aircraft delivery

According to a person with direct knowledge of the matter, some deliveries are already getting impacted, but there wasn't any confirmation of how many nor for how long.

Industry sources said that Airbus delivered 72 aircraft in November, fewer than many analysts had previously expected, bringing the total 657 so far this year. The French aircraft maker is targeting “around 820” deliveries in 2025—which means it has to deliver a record 160 aircraft this month. Airbus had in December 2019 delivered 138 aircraft.

Jefferies analyst Chloe Lemarie, who tracks the handover of aircraft and is forecasting 71 deliveries for November, said the month's performance was weaker than expected. The target remains within reach, however, as underlying production is rising, she said in a note to investors before word emerged of the reported quality problem.

Independent aviation analyst Rob Morris said Airbus could reach about 800 deliveries, which others say might be enough to claim victory based on the wording of its forecast, but with some risk that the final outcome will be “marginally lower”.