Aircraft orders slump in November

Image copyright Shutterstock

Commercial aircraft orders fell 65% in November 2024 to just 79, representing the lowest demand for aircraft in the month since 2020.

The latest commercial aircraft data from ADS, the trade association for the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space sectors further highlights a 55% decline fall in year to date aircraft orders.  

ADS notes that Aircraft deliveries are down 10% in the first eleven months of the year, primarily due to lagging widebody aircraft deliveries, which dropped by 25%.

The 98 aircraft delivered in November represents a sustained decline and for both the monthly and year-to-date figure, ADS notes the persistent influence of workforce issues and supply chain challenges on production.

The ongoing slowdown in deliveries has meant the commercial aircraft order backlog is 7% higher than in November 2023, at a saturated 15,822. This totals more than £250bn of value for the UK and represents more than a decade’s worth of work.

Aimie Stone, Chief Economist at ADS said: “While November orders can be volatile, ongoing production challenges and workforce factors make this a disappointing month, as it suggests declining confidence in production capacity and increased uncertainty in demand.

“As anticipated, continuing delays in production have led to further volatility in aircraft deliveries. This trend will likely continue and make reaching the forecasted figure less feasible unless the typical December delivery push outperforms previous years. One hundred and ninety-two aircraft deliveries are required by the end of December to meet the ADS global delivery forecast of 1,165 aircraft.”