Airbus outlines production growth targets and supply chain hurdles

Airbus used a financial briefing held alongside the Farnborough International Airshow to lay out ambitions to increase overall production to more than 100 aircraft per month across its four product lines. The company said it retains control over some obstacles to this goal but remains dependent on external suppliers, which continue to create uncertainty in its output figures.

The A320 family remains the manufacturer's highest-volume product, with official guidance pointing to a production rate of 70 to 75 aircraft per month by 2027. Airbus said this has been supported by recent changes ensuring all A320 assembly lines are now capable of building the larger A321 variant, allowing it to better match customer demand, which continues to lean toward bigger models.

However, according to Commercial Aircraft CEO Lars Wagner, the 70-75 range reflects uncertainty tied to delays in engine supply, particularly from Pratt & Whitney, which was the only supplier named directly during the session. Wagner said he now expects the upper end of that range, a rate of 75 per month, to be reached only shortly after the start of 2028 rather than in 2027 as previously anticipated.

Airbus also indicated it intends to grow production on the widebody side of its business, though further specifics on that plan were not detailed in the briefing excerpt. The company's comments suggest that while internal manufacturing adjustments are helping it move toward its stated goals, broader supply chain constraints, especially engine availability, continue to be the primary factor limiting how quickly those targets can be met.