by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 3:09 PM ET, Thu October 31, 2019
Airbus is scrambling to stay abreast of plane orders in the wake of the Boeing 737 Max grounding.
A new report from Bloomberg reveals that Airbus is likely to deliver 20 fewer jets than predicted amid production challenges that are delaying completion of its A320neo-series planes.
"We are focused on the A320neo ramp-up and improving the industrial flow while managing the higher level of complexity," Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said in a statement issued this week.
Known as the cabin-flex version of its narrow-body's A321 variant, the plane offers a choice between more seats or longer range.
Bloomberg reported that the plane manufacturer is producing a record 60 of the single-aisle jets per month and that figure is expected to increase to 63 by 2021. Simultaneously, the A321 has become the best-selling model for Airbus. The company has received 81 orders through September.
Meanwhile, Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg faced questioning in front of Congress this week about why the Max was still flying after the two fatal crashes that left 346 people dead.
Senators conducting the interview also raised questions about Boeing putting profits before safety as it pushed to get its fleet of MAX planes into service, with some officials calling the aircraft "flying coffins."
Muilenburg and other company officials have been accused of knowing about problems with the automated control system (MCAS), which was a contributing factor in both crashes.
By the third quarter of this year, the cost to Boeing of the Max being grounded had reached $9.2 billion. That's more cash than the company has spent in almost 25 years, Bloomberg reported.
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