Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast As Airbus Strains, Boeing Gains
Dec 5, 2025
Jens Flottau, an executive editor with expertise in airframe issues, Sean Broderick, a safety editor focused on operational implications, and Michael Bruno, a chief business editor with a financial lens, dive into the challenges facing Airbus and the resurgence of Boeing. They discuss Airbus's cut in its 2025 delivery target due to supplier issues, operational safety concerns stemming from an EASA software rollback, and Boeing's improving financial outlook with reduced cash burn forecasts. The panel examines who should be held accountable for Airbus's struggles and the constraints on increasing production rates.
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Mass Supplier Quality Problem Hits Airbus
- Airbus revised 2025 deliveries down to 790 after discovering milling defects in fuselage panels from supplier Sofitik Aero. These defects affect 628 aircraft, 460 of which are in assembly or finished and will require negotiated repairs.
Recurring Supplier Failures Signal Systemic Issue
- Airbus's delivery shortfalls repeatedly trace back to different suppliers across years, from cabins to engines to aerostructures. This pattern suggests systemic supplier oversight failures rather than isolated incidents.
Act Quickly To Strengthen Oversight
- Airbus must re-evaluate its supplier oversight and quality-detection processes promptly. Appointing Lars Wagner to lead Commercial Aircraft is a step to prioritize fixing production and supplier relations.