French aircraft maker Airbus slashed sales 34% from a record posted a year earlier when travel demand was high due to growing consumer mobility in fast-growing markets and especially in Asia.
Today, the aerospace industry is grappling with the reluctance of most airlines to accept aircraft deliveries as they struggle to save money, as well as a cut in air travel that Airbus says could last until 2023 or 2025 before returning to pre-pandemic the level of 2019.
However, Airbus said it delivered 566 aircraft to customers in 2020, exceeding estimates at the beginning of the year when the coronavirus crisis blocked major travel markets.
“We may be cautiously optimistic about 2021 ... but challenges and uncertainties remain high,” CEO Guillaume Faury told reporters.
Airbus declined to provide forecasts for 2021 ahead of posting annual earnings on Feb 18.
