Airbus sees backloaded deliveries in 2018, reaffirms target

[April 11, 2018]  (Reuters) - Airbus <AIR.PA> Chief Executive Tom Enders said on Wednesday the planemaker expects deliveries of narrowbody jets once again to be backloaded towards the latter part of the year - possibly even more so than before - due to ongoing engine issues.

Deliveries have been delayed by delivery and quality problems on engines provided by Pratt & Whitney, and most recently engines from French-U.S. venture CFM <SAF.PA> <GE.N>. Pratt-powered A320neo deliveries have been suspended.

Both engine suppliers for Airbus narrowbody jets remain "stressed," but Airbus - whose main rival is Boeing <BA.N> - is sticking by a target of delivering some 800 aircraft this year, Enders said.

"We are quite optimistic they can meet (goals) but it is not going to be a walk in the park," he said at the company's annual shareholder meeting, monitored by webcast.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Sudip Kar-Gupta)

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