Airbus also said it remains committed to delivering its financial guidance as provided at the nine-month 2022 results, meaning guidance for EBIT Adjusted and Free Cash Flow before M&A and customer financing remains unchanged.
Additionally, Airbus reaffirmed an interim production goal of 65 A320neo-family jets a month but withdrew its implementation date, saying instead it would adjust the speed of the ramp-up during 2023 and 2024. It said it still planned to reach an ultimate target of 75 such single-aisle jets a month, but adjusted the deadline to the "middle of the decade" from 2025.
Airbus had previously planned to reach 65 a month by early 2024, having pushed this back from mid-2023 earlier this year, when it also lowered its original forecast of "around 720" deliveries to the now discarded target of "around 700".
In November 2022, Airbus also registered 29 new orders and 14 cancellations bringing the backlog to 7,344 aircraft.
Boeing stocks declined after its rival Airbus made the announcement to confirm the planemaker would be unlikely to reach its year-end goal for deliveries of aircraft to carriers. Boeing fell 3.6% while market benchmarks also declined for a fourth straight day as investors await the Federal Reserve's decision on interest rates next week. Boeing faces a December 27 deadline to secure regulatory approval for two versions of the 737 MAX or to receive a reprieve from Congress to comply with a safety law enacted after the two deadly crashes of the 737 MAX.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell this month issued a draft proposal to extend the deadline and require retrofitting existing planes with safety enhancements. Without a deadline reprieve, Boeing could be forced to cancel the shorter 737 MAX 7 and the longer 737 MAX 10 models.
Before this week, Boeing's stock had fallen 11% since the beginning of the year. However, there could soon be better news for Boeing as the manufacturer is tipped to be close to securing a deal with United Airlines for dozens of 787 Dreamliner jets.
The WSJ report that United Airlines is preparing to order around 100 planes to replace its ageing widebody jets, particularly its older Boeing 767 fleet that experienced operational issues over the last year. The Chicago-based airline's securities filings list more than 50 Boeing 767s across its hangers.
For now, it remains unclear exactly how many Dreamliner jets that United would order in the deal, which could close as soon as this month. But people familiar with the late-stage talks say it could include confirmed orders and future purchase options for 50 or more aircraft. The aircraft in the 787 Dreamliner family range from roughly $248mn to $338mn before discounts depending on the model. Boeing currently has a backlog of 4,441 planes, including 488 orders for its 787 Dreamliners, according to the company website.
Elsewhere, IATA narrowed its forecast for industry-wide losses to $6.9bn from $9.7bn. "That is a great achievement considering the scale of the financial and economic damage caused by government-imposed pandemic restrictions," IATA Director General Willie Walsh said on Tuesday, referring to the projected 2023 return to profit.
Walsh did warn, however, that many airlines will continue to struggle next year, citing global disruption to the supply chain, tighter regulations, high costs and inconsistent government policies. For 2022, IATA narrowed its forecast for industry-wide losses to $6.9bn from $9.7bn.
