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World’s Longest Flight Delayed by Aviation’s Supply-Chain Woes - BLOOMBERG
BY , Bloomberg News
Business class seats of the Singapore Airlines Airbus A350-900 at the Singapore Airshow held at the Changi Exhibition Centre in Singapore, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. The air show runs through Feb. 18. , Bloomberg
(Bloomberg) -- Qantas Airways Ltd. and Air New Zealand Ltd. joined the growing list of airlines hit by delivery delays for aircraft as supply-chain dramas continue to roil the industry.
Qantas said Thursday its first ultra-long-haul Airbus SE A350 will arrive in the middle of 2026, six months later than planned. That will then push back the start of non-stop services linking Sydney with New York and London — set to be the world’s longest direct commercial flights.
The holdup stems from a redesign of the extra fuel tank needed for the marathon journey, Christian Scherer, head of commercial aircraft at Airbus, said in an interview at the Singapore Airshow Thursday.
Meanwhile, Air New Zealand said its new Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliners are unlikely to arrive until at least mid-2025, delaying the landmark roll-out of bunk beds in economy class that were due to be available in September on flights to New York and Chicago.
Read More: Bunk Beds at 30,000 Feet May Come on More Air NZ Flights to US
Boeing and Airbus are both struggling to ramp up production fast enough to meet soaring post-pandemic demand for new aircraft. The supply chain is buckling for several reasons — a lack of components or skills, certification holdups, and regulatory scrutiny on Boeing. But the fallout is clear: Airlines can’t meet the appetite for air travel, restraining growth and driving up fares.0
“The global aviation ecosystem remains under immense pressure,” Air New Zealand Chief Executive Officer Officer Greg Foran said.
Production slots for the popular Airbus A320neo family, for example, are sold out through the end the decade, exasperating airlines with the capital to expand.
“Even if you have money, it’s difficult to get an airplane,” Chang Kuo-wei, chairman of Starlux Airlines Co., said Wednesday in Singapore. The Taipei-based airline has ordered several Airbus widebody passenger and freighter planes but is still searching for a deal on the popular narrowbody jets.
Earlier at the show, engine maker CFM International Inc. said supply-chain snarls will dog aviation through the rest of this year at least. International Air Transport Association Director General Willie Walsh predicts the problems will linger longer, and said significant numbers of aircraft will be grounded through 2024 and into 2025.
Ryanair Holdings Plc said late last year that delivery delays of Boeing 737 Max aircraft had worsened and in January warned it may be short seven contracted deliveries by summer.
The latest woes with the 737 Max have added to the logjam. The Federal Aviation Administration has capped production of the plane as it assesses Boeing’s manufacturing processes following a panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
In addition to the delayed Boeing 787, Air New Zealand said extra maintenance on Pratt & Whitney engines on A321neo planes will ground five of the aircraft at any one time for at least the next 18 months.
