Airbus may face delays in the introduction of the A350F freighter aircraft, with potential postponements of up to a year from its scheduled 2026 entry into service due to supply chain issues.
The company was expected to provide updates on the situation during its annual results announcement on February 20, 2025, but did not publicly addressed the challenges affecting the A350F’s production.
Quality control issues at Spirit AeroSystems, a key US supplier, are impacting the delivery of fuselage parts for the A350F, which is also preventing Airbus from increasing its production rate of passenger A350s currently at six aircraft per month.
At least nine airlines, including Etihad Airways and Starlux Airlines, have placed orders for the A350F since the program’s announcement in 2021, with a total of 66 airframes ordered across various operators including Air France, Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines.
