Airbus(US:EADSY) Mei Ri Jing Ji Xin Wen·2025-12-01 17:02Core Viewpoint - Airbus experienced significant stock volatility, with a drop exceeding 10% on December 1, marking the largest single-day decline of the year, leading to a market capitalization dip below €150 billion [1][3]. Group 1: Quality Issues and Delivery Challenges - Airbus identified an industrial quality issue affecting the fuselage skin panels of several A320 series aircraft, resulting in delivery delays for some planes, although no operational aircraft have shown signs of this problem [3]. - In November, Airbus delivered 72 aircraft, bringing the total for the year to 657, with a target of approximately 820 deliveries for the year, necessitating over 160 deliveries in December to set a new monthly record [3][5]. - The company confirmed that a supplier's quality issue impacted a small number of A320 metal panels, and it is conducting inspections on potentially affected aircraft, although only a few require further action [3][11]. Group 2: Safety Concerns and Operational Impact - A recent safety issue involved the flight control systems of around 6,000 A320 aircraft, necessitating immediate inspections and updates to prevent potential safety hazards [5][10]. - The root cause of the flight control issue was linked to solar radiation affecting the aircraft's ELAC (Elevator and Aileron Computer), leading to erroneous flight control commands due to data corruption [8][9]. - The CEO of Airbus acknowledged that the repair process would pose significant logistical challenges and could lead to flight delays, with various airlines warning of potential disruptions [7][10]. Group 3: Market Position and Future Outlook - The A320 series is the most widely used single-aisle aircraft in the domestic market and has surpassed Boeing's 737 series in delivery numbers, becoming the best-selling single-aisle commercial aircraft globally [5][11]. - Airbus's CEO highlighted the growing market share and projected that the Chinese civil aviation market would require over 9,500 aircraft in the next 20 years, accounting for about one-fifth of global demand [5]. - As of October, Airbus had delivered a total of 12,260 A320 aircraft since its market introduction in 1988, breaking the long-standing record held by Boeing's 737 series [11].