Engines
Airbus Presses Pratt & Whitney on A320 Engine Shortages
European group’s helicopter division makes strong contribution to 2025 financials
A320neo with Pratt & Whitney engines
Production rates for the A320neo family of single-aisle airliners have been impacted by shortages of Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engines. © Airbus

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.

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