European-based planemaker Airbus is set to push back the launch date for the A350 freighter jet by up to a year due to production and supply chain delays, Reuters reported, citing two industry sources.
An announcement regarding the delay to the new cargo aircraft could come as soon as February 20, 2025, when Airbus posts its annual results, the sources told Reuters, asking to remain anonymous.
News of the A350F delays comes at a time when Airbus is also facing challenges in increasing the production of the A350 passenger jets, mainly because of ongoing delays in receiving fuselage parts from its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, Reuters continued. It means that these issues could limit A350 production for the rest of 2025, the report added.
In June 2024, Airbus warned that it would not reach its intended target of 800 commercial aircraft deliveries for 2024, despite previous reassurances that it would.
In a guidance update published on June 24, 2024, the company admitted that ongoing supply chain issues had resulted in a shortage of engines, aircraft structural components, and interior cabin equipment.
Additionally, the planemaker said plans to increase production of the A320neo family to 75 aircraft per month had been postponed from 2026 to 2027, suggesting that these supply issues are not expected to be resolved in the short term.
So far in 2025, Airbus has delivered 25 aircraft to 17 customers. In total, Airbus has delivered 15,988 aircraft, including various models like the A300, A310, A330, A340, A350, and A380. In January 2025, the manufacturer received 55 new orders.
Airbus declined to comment to Reuters on the timeline for the freighter, which is currently set to enter service in 2026.
