Airbus reported a $1.9 billion loss for the second quarter of 2020, as the manufacturer announced it slowed down production by 40% due to the impact of Covid-19 on air transport.
Revenues for Airbus’ commercial division were divided by two compared to the previous year, at $14 billion ($28 billion in 2019). 196 planes were delivered in H1 2020, half as many as in the first half of 2019. Airbus Helicopters and Airbus Defence and Space were less affected, generating $2.74 billion (against $2.79 billion in 2019) and $5.34 billion (against $5.90 in 2019) of revenue, respectively The manufacturer suffered in particular from a charge of $390 million due to the end of the A380 program in 2021.
To adapt to the drop in demand, Airbus reduced its production output by 40%, with 40 Airbus A320 produced, from 60 aircraft a year before. The A350 production was reduced from 10 to 6 aircraft. 4 A220 and 2 A330 were produced per month in the first half of 2020.
“We face a difficult situation with uncertainty ahead, but with the decisions we have taken, we believe we are adequately positioned to navigate these challenging times in our industry,” Airbus Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury commented.
Due to the limited visibility on the impact of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic on business and deliveries, the company did not issue any forecast for the remainder of the year.