Airbus, the European aerospace giant, has signaled a potential shift in its delivery strategy amid growing concerns over U.S. tariffs, a move that could reshape the global aviation landscape. On February 20, 2025, CEO Guillaume Faury announced that the company might prioritize aircraft deliveries to non-U.S. customers if trade barriers, particularly tariffs imposed by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, disrupt its ability to supply American carriers. This statement, made during a press conference in Toulouse, France, where Airbus is headquartered, came as the company unveiled its 2024 financial results, which included a 6% revenue increase to 69.2 billion euros and the delivery of 766 commercial jets worldwide. However, the prospect of tariffs has injected uncertainty into Airbus’s ambitious plans to ramp up production to 820 aircraft in 2025, a target Faury emphasized was set “absent tariffs.”
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The backdrop to this announcement is Trump’s renewed push for trade protectionism since taking office in January 2025. Just days before Faury’s comments, Trump declared intentions to unveil new tariffs within a month, building on duties already introduced during his first term. These measures could target imports from Europe, China, Mexico, and Canada—regions critical to Airbus’s supply chain and assembly operations. Airbus, a fierce rival to U.S.-based Boeing, operates a sprawling global network, with major production sites in France, Germany, and the United States, including its Mobile, Alabama, facility, which assembles A320 and A220 aircraft for North American customers. Yet, despite this U.S. footprint, many components and finished widebody jets, like the A350 and A330neo, originate in Europe, making them vulnerable to import duties. Faury noted that while Airbus spends 15 billion euros annually with over 2,000 U.S. suppliers and employs thousands domestically, tariffs would still create a “lose-lose” scenario for the aviation industry on both sides of the Atlantic.
Airbus’s potential pivot hinges on its massive order backlog—over 8,000 jets—and robust demand from non-U.S. markets, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. “We have a large demand from the rest of the world,” Faury told CNBC, suggesting that Airbus could “adapt by bringing forward deliveries to other customers who are very eager to get planes.” This flexibility underscores the company’s strategic depth, but it also raises concerns for U.S. airlines like Delta, United, American, and JetBlue, which collectively hold hundreds of Airbus orders, including 242 A220s and numerous A321neos. A shift in delivery priority could delay fleet modernization efforts at a time when these carriers are already grappling with supply chain bottlenecks and Boeing’s ongoing production woes with the 737 MAX.
Faury tempered his tariff warnings with optimism, arguing that Airbus’s extensive U.S. operations—bolstered in recent years—should shield it from severe disruption. He expressed hope that cooler heads would prevail, given the aerospace sector’s interdependent North Atlantic ecosystem. Yet, the company excluded tariff impacts from its 2025 financial guidance, signaling a wait-and-see approach as Trump’s trade policies take shape. Meanwhile, Airbus faces internal challenges, including supply chain constraints that shaved 8% off its 2024 operating profit, dropping it to 5.35 billion euros. These pressures, combined with external trade risks, highlight the delicate balance Airbus must strike. As deliveries of A220s from Canada face potential 25% tariffs starting March 4, and Mobile’s reliance on European parts remains a tariff wildcard, Airbus’s threat to prioritize non-U.S. orders is both a contingency plan and a subtle jab at U.S. policymakers. Whether this gambit alters Washington’s course or merely reshuffles Airbus’s delivery queue, the stakes for global aviation are undeniably high.