Airbus Presses Pratt & Whitney on A320 Engine Shortages

Airbus expects continuing shortages of Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM geared turbofan (GTF) engines to impede efforts to increase production of its A320 airliners. During a press conference in Toulouse on Thursday to report 2025 results, the European aerospace group’s CEO, Guillaume Faury, said it is now taking action to “enforce its contractual rights” with the U.S. engine maker.

According to Faury, Pratt & Whitney is still prioritizing GTF manufacturing to support maintenance, repair, and overhaul support for in-service narrowbodies at the expense of new A320 production. Airbus has demanded that engine production rates recover in 2027, but said the ongoing supply-chain problem is negatively impacting its guidance for 2026 production rates. It now aims to achieve a monthly production rate of 70 to 75 aircraft by the end of next year.

“We have a contract with our friends from Pratt & Whitney, but they are not respecting our contractual rights, so we have begun a process to resolve this,” Faury told reporters. “We are very frustrated that they have committed more [to support] the installed base of aircraft, and we are negotiating with them to change this.”

During 2025, Airbus delivered 793 commercial aircraft and logged 889 new orders, after cancellations, which represented a slight increase from 2024. Group-wide revenues, including defense, rotorcraft, and space activities, increased by 6% to total €73.4 billion (about $86.2 billion), with adjusted EBIT earnings at €7.1 billion.

Airbus Helicopters provided some of the most impressive figures in the group’s 2025 results, with adjusted EBIT increasing by 13% to €925 million due to higher deliveries (392 versus 361 in 2024) and growth in income for services. Last year, the business unit booked 536 net new helicopter orders, which was 19% higher than 2024, with the strongest boost in demand coming from military markets.