Airbus has cut its full-year delivery target to 790 commercial aircraft, down from the original figure of 820.

The airframer – which had already been dealing with substantial backloading – acknowledges that a “supplier quality issue” on A320neo fuselage panels is “impacting” the delivery flow.

Airbus has not detailed the nature of the panel problem, nor the number of aircraft affected.

But the matter has added to pressure on the airframer whose target of 820 deliveries had appeared ambitious when a shortage of engines meant it had to park dozens of otherwise-completed aircraft at the mid-year point.

Backloading of production has been characteristic of Airbus’s delivery profile for several years.

Over the pre-pandemic period from 2015 to 2019 the airframer achieved between 62.9% and 70.2% of its eventual full-year deliveries over the first nine months.

Airbus had delivered 507 aircraft by the end of September this year, which equated to a lower proportion, 61.8%, of its intended 2025 target – although the company has recently increased capacity by opening new production lines at Mobile and Tianjin.

The delivery figure had reached 585 aircraft by the end of October and the airframer would have needed to hand over 235 jets in the last two months.

Airbus is maintaining its full-year financial guidance despite the reduced delivery target. The company overall is expecting adjusted earnings of €7 billion ($8.1 billion).