(Reuters) - Airbus (PA:AIR) 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 (PA:SAF) (N:GE). Pratt-powered A320neo deliveries have been suspended.
Both engine suppliers for Airbus narrowbody jets remain "stressed," but Airbus - whose main rival is Boeing (N:BA) - 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.