Airbus Has Around 60 "Glider" Aircraft Waiting for Engines

Airbus currently has approximately 60 commercial aircraft awaiting engine installation, commonly referred to as “gliders” in the industry. These jets, mostly from the A320neo family, are complete in structure but remain grounded due to missing engines — a direct consequence of ongoing supply chain disruptions.

The European planemaker confirmed the backlog during its latest financial update, noting that delays from engine suppliers Pratt & Whitney and CFM International have hindered the planned ramp-up of production.

Despite the challenges, Airbus reaffirmed its target of 820 aircraft deliveries by the end of 2025, having delivered 306 units in the first half of the year.

Engine backlog still shifting

CEO Guillaume Faury stated that the number of undelivered engines “fluctuates daily,” but currently, Pratt & Whitney has more outstanding engines than CFM. Still, he expressed confidence that both suppliers will eliminate the backlog before the end of the year.

“There are no delivery bottlenecks per se. The issues are more about missing documentation, financing, and technical constraints. Production flow is limited, but deliveries can go up and down,” Faury explained.

Broader production headwinds

The engine shortage is not the only hurdle Airbus faces. The manufacturer is also dealing with supply issues in aerostructures, especially those provided by Spirit AeroSystems, a company currently being partially taken over by both Airbus and Boeing after a corporate restructuring.

A recent incident highlighted the ripple effects of these disruptions: American Airlines took delivery of its first A321XLR, but the aircraft remains stranded in Hamburg because passenger seats were not delivered in time.

To complicate matters further, Airbus is now dealing with a potential strike at its Broughton and Filton plants in the UK, where it produces wings for the A320 family.

Still, the company remains optimistic that the engine supply constraints will be resolved by year-end, clearing the way for a more stable delivery cadence in 2026.

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Ricardo Meier

Creator of the website that started in 1996 as a magazine. He also writes on Brazilian websites AUTOO, MOTOO and MetrôCPTM.

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