Airbus Group chief Tom Enders has stressed that the airframer has met its target of having the A350 ready for delivery before the year’s end.

Launch customer Qatar Airways unexpectedly dropped plans to take delivery of the aircraft, which was due to be handed over in Toulouse on 13 December.

But Enders, speaking at an investor forum in London, pointedly stated that the A350-900 had met its third-quarter certification schedule and that Airbus had achieved its aim of having the first aircraft ready for delivery before the end of the year.

“The aircraft is on the tarmac, ready to be delivered,” says Enders. “We’re very confident that delivery to our customer Qatar will happen very soon.”

Qatar Airways was due to accept the aircraft at a formal ceremony in Doha on 15 December. Its reasons for postponing the delivery are unclear.

Source: Cirium Dashboard