Airbus will have to delay the entry into service of the A350F freighter by up to a year due to problems with the widebody assembly line, according to Reuters.
Sources heard by the outlet said that the planemaker is expected to announce the postponement of the program on Thursday during a press conference to announce 2024 results.
The A350F was launched in November 2021 taking advantage of changes instituted by the ICAO in pollutant emissions that will come into effect in 2027 and that will prohibit the production of jets such as the Boeing 767F and 777F.
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More efficient and capable, the A350F will be able to carry 111 tons over distances of up to 4,700 nm (8,700 km). It will compete with the Boeing 777-8F, but its schedule is well behind schedule.
Airbus had planned to put the new freighter into service before the new rules came into effect, but with the new delay, this should happen between 2027 and 2028.
Spirit Aerosystems issues
According to Reuters, one of the reasons for the new schedule involves the production of aerostructures by the struggling Spirit AeroSystems, from the US, which supplies several parts for the A350.
As a result, Airbus has been unable to increase production of the aircraft, which saw deliveries fall in 2024 after a slight increase the previous year.
Last year, only 57 A350-900s and A350-1000s were delivered. Airbus had 719 aircraft pending delivery as of January, including 63 A350Fs.
The Toulouse, France-based manufacturer aims to reach a monthly production rate of 12 A350s by 2028.
Spirit is being reacquired by Boeing, from which it was spun off years ago, but some of the facilities are expected to be taken over by Airbus.
