Airbus delivered 72 planes in November, falling short of the pace required to meet its annual target and putting pressure on the company to achieve a near-record month in December for the 2025 delivery goal as outlined in recent updates. A new quality problem affecting dozens of A320 jets, emerging after a software recall, adds urgency to the final push and could delay completions in the critical end-of-year period. The situation highlights Airbus’s ongoing challenges in ramping up production amid supply chain and technical hurdles that are shaping the outlook for airlines and investors into 2026.
November Delivery Performance
Airbus reported delivering 72 planes in November, a specific monthly figure that underscores the company’s current output level and frames the scale of the year-end challenge. The tally, detailed in an update that noted Airbus had delivered 72 planes in November, reflects steady activity across its commercial portfolio but also reveals a gap between actual performance and the pace implied by its full-year ambitions. For airlines counting on new capacity to support network growth, that gap translates into tighter fleet planning and less flexibility to respond to passenger demand.
This November total represents a step in Airbus’s year-to-date progress toward the 2025 target, yet it signals a need for acceleration compared with earlier months when deliveries were more evenly spread. Reporting that Airbus now needs a record or near-record December to hit its goal indicates that the company has effectively used up its margin for operational disruption and must rely on a strong final surge to stay on track. For leasing companies and carriers that structure financing and route launches around expected handover dates, the shift from a smooth monthly cadence to a back-loaded schedule raises the risk of short-notice changes to aircraft induction plans.
December Target Requirements
To hit its overall 2025 delivery target, Airbus now requires a near-record month in December, a threshold that directly reflects the shortfall implied by the November figures. Industry reporting notes that the manufacturer needs a near-record month in December to hit its 2025 delivery target, underscoring how much of the annual performance has been pushed into the final weeks of the year. That concentration of activity heightens execution risk, since any disruption in parts supply, certification, or customer acceptance could have an outsized impact on the final tally.
A record December is now described as essential, reflecting a clear change from earlier projections that anticipated a more even distribution of deliveries across the year’s end. The elevated goal also sharpens the stakes for airlines awaiting aircraft, because a shortfall in December would not only affect 2025 statistics but could push some handovers into 2026, complicating fleet renewal and growth strategies. For carriers planning to deploy new A320 family and widebody jets on high-demand routes, the difference between a record month and a slightly weaker finish could determine whether they enter the next summer season with sufficient capacity or face constrained schedules and higher unit costs.
Emerging A320 Quality Challenges
Airbus’s push for a near-record December is complicated by a new A320 quality problem affecting dozens of jets, which surfaced after a software recall and threatens to slow completions at the worst possible moment. According to an exclusive report, Airbus has been hit by a new A320 quality problem after a software recall, with sources saying that dozens of aircraft are affected. The issue introduces additional inspection and rework requirements for aircraft that were expected to flow through final assembly and delivery in the closing weeks of the year, adding another layer of complexity to an already tight schedule.
The quality issue, reported on December 1, 2025, introduces fresh technical risks that were not factored into prior delivery forecasts and could alter the outlook for A320 family handovers, a key segment for meeting the 2025 target. Because the A320 line represents the backbone of Airbus’s narrowbody output, any delay in clearing affected jets can ripple through supplier schedules, customer training plans, and financing arrangements tied to specific serial numbers. For airlines that rely on A320 family aircraft to replace older jets or open new routes, uncertainty over when these planes will be cleared for delivery may force temporary extensions of older leases, adjustments to capacity growth, or even renegotiation of delivery slots.
Implications for 2025 Goal Achievement
The combination of November’s 72 deliveries and the need for a near-record December represents a pivotal shift in Airbus’s path to its 2025 goal, as the company must overcome both operational bottlenecks and the newly disclosed A320 quality hurdles to avoid missing its annual target. Reporting that Airbus now needs a record December to hit its goal, after delivering 72 planes in November, highlights how little room remains for further disruption in the final stretch of the year. If the manufacturer falls short, it would mark the first time in recent years that it has missed a publicly framed annual delivery objective, a result that could weigh on investor confidence and prompt questions about the realism of its longer term production ramp-up plans.
Stakeholders, including major airlines and lessors, face heightened uncertainty from the A320 issues and the compressed delivery schedule, potentially leading to revised contracts or deferred orders if December performance falls short of expectations. Recent reporting indicates that this scenario could pressure Airbus’s market position against competitors, since any sustained perception of delivery risk may influence how carriers allocate future narrowbody and widebody orders. For airlines that have already committed to large A320 family backlogs, the immediate priority will be securing clarity on which aircraft will arrive in time for key travel seasons, while for Airbus the end-of-2025 period will be critical in determining both its fiscal outcomes and its credibility in meeting ambitious production targets in the years ahead.
