Airbus expands deliveries to 611 aircraft in 2021, but remains far from pre-pandemic level

Airbus delivered 611 commercial aircraft in 2021, above the 600-unit target set last year. Narrowbodies were responsible for the increase in relation to 2020, when 566 planes were sent to their customers.

However, compared to 2019, the figures are much lower: that year Airbus delivered 863 commercial jets, 250 more than in 2021.

Last year, the planemaker delivered 533 single-aisle jets, 90.6% of the A320 family (483 aircraft). The volume of widebodies fell again from 82 to 78 aircraft.

Two models stood out last year, the A321neo, with 199 deliveries, and the A220-300, with 47 aircraft delivered. The highest-capacity variant of the Bombardier-created aircraft rose 67% from 2020 while the largest of the A320 family planes grew by 12%, reaching its highest level of deliveries ever.

The result is not surprising as Airbus has invested in the A220 program while the A321neo has been in very high demand.

Airbus’ main commercial aircraft, the A320neo had a slight increase in deliveries, of just five units, a situation similar to the A350-900, the European company’s most successful long-haul jet – the aircraft had 49 deliveries, four more than in 2020

The A330-900, in turn, although it has increased three aircraft compared to the previous year, is still well below the milestone of 41 aircraft delivered in 2019. Airbus also delivered 16 other widebodies, four of which were first generation A330s (part of them for military use), six A350-1000s, one A330-800 and the last five A380s, which ended production in December.