By Scott Hamilton
Jan. 12, 2026, © Leeham News: Airbus confirmed today that it delivered 793 jetliners last year. This was on a target revised downward from 820 guided at the beginning of the year.
A late 2025 quality issue involving fuselage panels on the A320 resulted in a reduced target.
Christian Scherer, who relinquished his position as CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft, responds to a question during his final press conference today wearing that hat. Credit: Leeham News.
Officials also said that the number of engineless A320 “gliders” was reduced from a peak of 60 last year to a “manageable” small number. Despite continued supply-chain difficulties for interiors, Christian Scherer said that there aren’t any widebody airplanes parked awaiting components.
Scherer officially relinquished his title as CEO of Airbus Commercial Aircraft on Dec. 31. This was his last press conference in that role. He remains with Airbus for the next six months in a transition role with his successor, Lars Wagner.
Scherer and Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft, said sales of the flagship, top-of-the-line aircraft, the A350, are gaining momentum. Orders were signed for 193 A350s last year. A Memorandum of Understanding from Air Europa, which will be finalized this year, is intended to replace aging Boeing 787s.
“I want to particularly highlight the Air Europa order for 20 A350-900s,” said Saint-Exupéry. “With this move, Air Europa recognizes the A350 platform as the right tool for the next chapter of growth, including the superior economics and performance of our technology to replace their existing 787 fleet.
“As we are reaching the first wave of replacements of the early 787 fleets, we are confident that other airlines will reach the same conclusion as Air Europa with the A350-900, but also that of many other airlines which have already decided to replace their 777 fleet with the A350-1000,” he said.
However, Boeing had a banner year for 787 sales, too.
“Trump sales” for 787s
“The real story there is the acceleration of the 350-1000. In 2025, our A350 gross order intake was 50-50 between the dash 900 and the dash 1000,” Saint-Exupéry said.
Boeing announced more than 300 orders for the 787 in 2025, its best performance in years. “How do you describe the bumper sails from Boeing and their Dreamliner? Is there something that they’re doing better or differently in their sales campaigns than Airbus does on the widebody side? Or has Boeing seen a lot of political “Trump” orders, to call them like that?” Airbus was asked.
Benoit de Saint-Exupéry, EVP Sales Commercial Aircraft of Airbus. Credit: Leeham News.
“I would simply say the answer is in the question,” Saint-Exupéry said. “But maybe digging a little bit further into the question, I think if we look at the competition, the open campaigns that we have faced in 2025, we have prevailed two times out of three. The 787 is a great aircraft.
It came to the market earlier. That’s why Boeing still enjoys some good repeat orders.”
Scherer said that it’s undeniable that Boeing benefited from political backing. “Fair enough. What it means for us is that we just have to be more convincing than our competitor and its political support on the quality of our products, of our people, of our professionalism.”
Scherer praised Boeing’s return from years of back-to-back crises.
“It’s actually quite motivating, to be honest, to see Boeing back in the major league after so many years. It’s a good thing, this competition. It’s good.”
“It’s going to make us even more aggressive. It’s going to make us more professional… notwithstanding the political support our competitor benefited from,” Scherer said.
2025 Results
Deliveries were up 4% last year compared with 2024. Airbus said there were 1,000 gross orders recorded from 57 customers (889 net), including 49 A220s, 656 A320s, 100 A330neo, two A330 MRTTs, and 193 A350s. The order backlog is 8,754, including 1,124 (12.8%) at year’s end.
Airbus’ Deliveries for 2025, 2024, and 2023
Lars Wagner’s hello
Lars Wagner assumed the CEO position at Airbus Commercial Aircraft on Jan. 1. Credit: Leeham News.
Scherer’s successor, Lars Wagner, made his first media appearance as CEO of Airbus Commercial. He reported for work on Nov. 1 to begin the transition from Scherer.
“This is my third time arriving at Airbus,” Wagner said. “I kind of intended to be my last one.”
Wagner first joined Airbus in 1994 in an apprenticeship. He left for some additional studies internationally and came back in 2003 for 12 years. He held several positions in Germany, in France, in Spain, mainly on production, in production, in engineering, and also in strategy.
Wagner left in 2015 to become the chief operating officer of MTU Aero Engines. For almost the last three years, he was chief executive officer.
His engine background comes in handy as Airbus continues to deal with Pratt & Whitney’s seemingly endless challenges with the GTF engine, which powers the A320 and A220. MTU is a major supplier to PW for the GTF.
Airbus also continues to work with Rolls-Royce to improve the durability of the Trent XWB-97, which powers the A350.
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