By Tim Hepher
PARIS (Reuters) - Airbus (EPA:AIR)deliveries increased by 6% in the first half of the year to reach 316 aircraft, industry sources said on Thursday.
The European planemaker delivered 72 planes in June, up 20% from 60 in the same month last year and up from 63 in May this year, they added.
Airbus, which is targeting 720 deliveries for the year, declined to comment ahead of the publication of data on Friday.
Airbus's first-half performance compares with industrial deliveries of 297 planes in the first six months of last year, before a negative adjustment of two units related to Russia.
Aerospace deliveries have been plagued by supply chain problems and labour shortages since the COVID-19 pandemic.
But after a rocky start to the year, Chief Commercial Officer Christian Scherer told Reuters in June that Airbus was seeing a "more predictable" industrial pattern and what appeared to be the start of a more positive trend in deliveries.
Based on tracking of test flights, Jefferies said in a report this week that underlying aircraft production remained soft compared with targeted rates but looked set to increase this summer. It predicted 70 deliveries for June.
Airbus reports first-half results on July 26.