Airbus says deliveries up 13% in April, reaffirms A350F timeline

PARIS (Reuters) -Airbus delivered 61 aircraft in April, up 13% from the same month of 2023, bringing deliveries so far this year to 203, the European planemaker said on Tuesday.

An unidentified airline ordered 51 A321neo jets during the month and British Airways owner IAG reshuffled five narrow-body planes within its group, Airbus monthly data showed.

So far this year, the world's largest planemaker has sold 227 planes - or 222 after allowing for the conversions within the IAG airline group's order book.

Airbus meanwhile said there was no change in its target for entry to service of the A350 Freighter after a major leasing company questioned the development timeline.

Airbus said last year it was delaying the entry to service to 2026 from 2025. It also said separately that it was increasing the size of the plane's main cargo loading door.

Air Lease Corp Executive Chairman Steven Udvar-Hazy told analysts on Monday the design change meant more time would be needed for certification, implying possible new delays.

"We believe, based on the information we've gotten from Airbus, that the programme will be delayed, because of the certification of this new configuration on the cargo door and its effect on the fuselage and the flooring and the structure of the airframe," he told analysts.

Airbus said there was no change to guidance last updated in April 2023. "We confirm the EIS (entry into service) was adjusted to 2026 back in 2023," a spokesperson said.

An Airbus slide presented to media at the Singapore Airshow in February suggested the entry to service would be towards the latter half of 2026, with flight tests spanning the second half of 2025 and the first half of 2026.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Louise Heavens and Susan Fenton)