China is withholding final administrative approvals for new Airbus aircraft deliveries. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has delayed these approvals for several months. This strategy reportedly pressures European regulators to accelerate certification for the domestically-produced COMAC C919 jet.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury addressed the administrative delays during the company's first-quarter earnings call in April. The disruption blocked nearly 20 aircraft deliveries destined for Chinese airlines. These delays resulted in approximately €5 billion in excess inventory. The undelivered aircraft contributed to lower overall delivery figures for the quarter.