BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The CEO of Airbus signalled cautious optimism on crucial engine supplies on Tuesday, telling Reuters that CFM International should be able to supply enough units to support the planemaker’s end-year plans but it would be “very tight”.
A shortfall in engine supplies from CFM, co-owned by GE Aerospace and Safran, has been partly blamed for sluggish Airbus jet deliveries since the summer, leaving the planemaker with a challenging total of 200 jets to deliver in the last two months to reach a 2024 goal of around 770.
Like other engine makers, CFM has been having to juggle between demand for new engines to feed aircraft assembly lines and spares or parts to repair planes already in service.
Asked whether CFM had made available enough engines to support Airbus’ end-year goals, Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said: “In the short term it is very tight … I will only know for sure at the end of November”.
He added: “It should be ok; I don’t know yet. It will be within a few engines – not tens of engines – if any.”
CFM had no immediate comment.
Airbus lowered its annual delivery target to “around” 770 jets from 800 in July, citing problems with the supply chain at CFM as well as shortages of other parts, including landing gear.
CFM is one of two suppliers for the narrowbody A320neo family, Airbus’s best-selling model, and competes with RTX unit Pratt & Whitney, which has had a series of setbacks.
(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Alexander Smith)
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