Worst Q3 On Record as Global Aircraft Orders Grind to a Halt
- Zero orders for the month of September contribute to the worst Q3 for global commercial aircraft orders on record.
- 173 aircraft deliveries marks the worst Q3 on record but showing signs of improvement.
- A testing regime that can shorten the 14-day quarantine period for travellers is an urgent requirement for industry.
Global commercial aircraft orders for Q3 2020 are the lowest on record after just 13 aircraft orders were placed, a decline of 91.4 per cent on the same quarter last year. July and August, with four and nine orders respectively, were responsible for the only aircraft orders in Q3 after no orders were placed in September. Single-aisle aircraft were once again in higher demand with 10 orders and wide-body aircraft saw just three.
Commercial aircraft deliveries for Q3 also show the impact the pandemic continues to have on the sector with 173 aircraft being delivered, the worst Q3 on record. Of these 173 aircraft delivered, 135 were single-aisle and just 38 were wide-body due to the decline in long haul international travel and demand for larger commercial jets in recent months. September saw an uptick in deliveries to levels almost similar to February 2020 before lockdowns across the globe, however this is still far below normal levels expected for this time of year.
The aircraft backlog continues to face marginal decreases due to a slight increase in deliveries not being matched by new orders. Q3 saw 229 fewer aircraft on backlog than in Q2 2020 but still only a 1.8 per cent decrease on the same period last year. The 13,444 backlog still represents many years of work in hand and up to £200bn to the UK economy if orders are fulfilled.
ADS Chief Executive Paul Everitt said:
“The aerospace and aviation industries have invested in robust health and safety measures as part of aircraft design which makes the risk of transmission when travelling aboard an aircraft extremely low. We need to continue to work together internationally to improve consumer confidence and encourage a return to the skies.
“The quarantine period that passengers face when they return home is one of the main barriers to UK aviation’s recovery and testing can play a major role in reducing this. The Government should rapidly implement a testing regime so that the 14-day quarantine period can be shortened. This will help improve confidence amongst travellers and in turn put the aviation and aerospace sectors on a path towards recovery.”