Airbus must increase deliveries to meet annual target
The aircraft manufacturer is maintaining its target of around 870 aircraft, requiring a record number of deliveries in the fourth quarter.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
Airbus is sticking to its expectation of delivering around 870 commercial aircraft this year. After nine months, the tally stood at 547 aircraft, meaning the company needs an exceptionally high delivery rate in the fourth quarter.
Airbus presented results for the first nine months of 2026 on Wednesday. The company reported 547 commercial aircraft delivered, revenue of €50.6 billion and adjusted operating profit of €4.5 billion.
The annual target of around 870 aircraft remained unchanged. This means Airbus must deliver around 323 aircraft in the final three months of the year. Reuters described the task as a record for the fourth quarter, although Airbus itself says the target remains achievable under its current assumptions.
The manufacturer reported an order book of 9,310 commercial aircraft at the end of September. Net orders in the first nine months amounted to 1,105 aircraft, compared with 514 in the same period a year earlier. The figures point to strong demand, but also to a major execution challenge.
In its notes, Airbus warned that the forecast assumes no new disruptions to global trade, aviation, the supply chain or its own production. The availability of parts and production capacity therefore remains a significant risk to planning.
For airlines, delayed deliveries mean that older aircraft may remain in service for longer and that planned fleet growth will become available later. This may affect capacity, maintenance and the planning of new routes, but the new figures do not indicate that Dutch travellers will face delays directly.
Airbus is also maintaining its financial outlook: adjusted operating profit of around €7.5 billion and free cash flow before customer financing of around €4.5 billion. These targets are the company's expectations and are not a guarantee of the final results.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The financial and operational figures were checked directly against the Airbus report, and Reuters provided context on the delivery requirement. Outlooks and risks are clearly presented as company expectations.
- confirmed Airbus delivered 547 commercial aircraft in the first nine months. — Mentioned in the official nine-month report. source
- confirmed Airbus is maintaining its target of around 870 deliveries in 2026. — Part of the unchanged company forecast. source
- confirmed Airbus must deliver around 323 aircraft in the fourth quarter to meet the target. — The arithmetic difference between 870 and 547. source
- confirmed The order book stood at 9,310 commercial aircraft at the end of September. — Reported by Airbus. source
- confirmed Reuters calls the task a record for the fourth quarter. — Reuters describes the need for a record fourth quarter. source
Editor's note
The delivery figures, order book and outlook come from Airbus's quarterly report. Reuters confirms that the annual target represents a major challenge; the article does not present company forecasts as definite outcomes.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „airbus luchtvaart”
- De Telegraaf — „airbus luchtvaart”
- Trouw — „airbus luchtvaart”