Airbus Delays Part of A220 Production, Reducing Buffer to Meet 2026 Target
Airbus has decided to postpone the assembly of some of its A220 aircraft during 2025 and 2026, reducing the buffer to achieve its goal of manufacturing 14 units per month by the end of 2026, according to three industry sources who confirmed the information to Reuters.
A Tighter Production Schedule
Although the European manufacturer had reiterated its intention to reach that target “at some point” in 2026, current supply problems indicate that the planned rate might only be achieved in the final weeks of the year. The sources stated that Airbus set an interim target of 12 aircraft per month for mid-2026, up from the seven or eight it currently produces.
However, the A220 program plants in Canada and the United States continue to face supply chain challenges, creating uncertainty about meeting both targets.
A spokesperson for Airbus Canada referred to the company’s current production target and declined to comment further ahead of the results presentation next Wednesday. The spokesperson also avoided addressing internal reports about the program.
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Challenge of Making the A220 Profitable
The A220, with a capacity for 110 to 130 passengers, was acquired by Airbus in 2018 after taking control of the project originally developed by Bombardier. Although it has maintained a good sales pace, the model continues to record losses. Increasing production is key to reducing costs, as the aircraft shares few components with other models from the European manufacturer.
The sources indicated that the latest adjustments involve removing several aircraft from the 2025 production schedule and nearly ten in total during the next year.
Impact on Quebec and the Supply Chain
The delay comes shortly after the Quebec government wrote down the value of its 25% stake in the A220 program by 400 million Canadian dollars. Airbus owns the remaining 75%. Quebec’s Economy Minister, Christine Frechette, attributed the losses to trade tensions and the fragility of global supply chains.
At the plants in Mirabel (Montreal) and Mobile (Alabama), production teams are still dealing with component shortages, including engines, and with errors detected in the production line, according to the three sources.
One source said that some of the current delays remain linked to a shortage of wings. Airbus agreed to take over the production of these components from Spirit AeroSystems as part of a joint plan with Boeing to rescue the supplier.
Priority: Meeting Deliveries
The former head of Airbus Canada, Benoit Schultz, urged workers in September to meet the internal target of delivering 100 A220 aircraft to airlines in 2025, which would represent an increase of one third, as he stated.
To reinforce that goal, some staff from Quebec have been temporarily moved from the assembly line to aircraft completion and delivery tasks, according to one source.
As of September, Airbus had delivered 62 A220s, although the manufacturer does not break down its annual global target of 820 deliveries by model.
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