Airbus vents frustration at GTF engine delays and slow progress on SAF

Airbus’ frustration with Pratt & Whitney was palpable during its full-year earnings presentation earlier this month, with the European airframer directly blaming its reduced A320 production rate target on GTF engine delivery delays.

It also expressed frustration about the slow pace at which the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market is taking off, but urged observers not to “give up” on what it sees as a “necessary part” of the aviation industry’s decarbonization journey.

Airbus has revised its expected A320 production rate to between 70 and 75 aircraft a month by the end of 2027 — down from a previous monthly target of 75. It expects the rate to stabilize at 75 thereafter.

Speaking at a press conference on 19 February to discuss Airbus’ full-year results — during which it reported a 6% increase in revenue to €73.4 billion ($86.6 billion) and a 33% rise in adjusted earnings before interest and tax to €7.1 billion — chief executive Guillaume Faury did not mince words when it came to who he thinks is responsible for the reduced production rate target.

“Pratt & Whitney’s failure to commit to the number of engines ordered by Airbus is negatively impacting this year’s guidance and the ramp-up trajectory for this year,” said Faury, adding that Airbus will “continue to work hard to enforce our contractual rights.”

The engine manufacturer had to embark on a recall campaign of its PW1000G geared turbofan, which powers A320neo-family aircraft alongside the rival CFM International LEAP-1A, after a powdered metal issue was detected. This has resulted in the grounding of hundreds of aircraft as maintenance work is carried out, as well as delays to new GTF engine deliveries.

“We are very frustrated that [Pratt & Whitney] have decided to reallocate more to the in-service [aircraft]…to the detriment of Airbus, where we think they should do more on increasing capabilities to serve both needs at the same time,” says Faury. “We continue to work with them to make them change the way they manage this.”

Airbus expects to deliver a total of 870 commercial aircraft in 2026, an increase of almost 10% on the 793 aircraft it delivered last year. It anticipates that its adjusted EBIT will rise to €7.5 billion. Airbus booked 1,000 gross aircraft orders in 2025 and ended the year with a backlog of 8,754 aircraft.

The airframer is now targeting a production rate of 13 A220s a month in 2028, having previously targeted a rate of 14 a month in 2026. Monthly production rates for the A330 and A350 remain unchanged at five in 2029 and 12 in 2028, respectively.

Faury’s evident frustration during the earnings conference was not limited to Pratt & Whitney. He also lamented the slow progress on ramping up global sustainable aviation fuel volumes.

“At Airbus, we strongly believe that SAF is a necessary part of the decarbonization roadmap and strategy, but it’s the one that is less in our hands,” he says. “The progress is slow — too slow — but it’s not zero. In Europe, we have a mandate for 2% and then 6% in 2030, and we see the volumes starting to grow in Europe because of the mandate.”

However, he adds: “The tipping point of acceleration of SAF is indeed more difficult to pass than we were expecting.”

Faury believes there should be a “global understanding of what the SAF percentage should look like”, but notes: “Unfortunately, with the fragmentation of the world at the moment, we are not there, and this is slowing down SAF. But we should not give up on SAF.”

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Featured image credited to Mary Kirby