China stalls Airbus approvals to pressure Europe on homegrown Chinese jets, Bloomberg News reports

China is delaying final approvals for Airbus deliveries to pressure Europe over its homegrown COMAC jets, Bloomberg News reported. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has withheld final clearance that would allow Airbus aircraft to fly in and be put into service, according to people familiar with the matter. Airbus said it delivered the fewest commercial jets in the first quarter since 2009, a drop Reuters attributed in part to the approval freeze. Chief Executive Guillaume Faury said last month the delay stemmed from an 'administrative topic' affecting almost 20 aircraft destined for China. On a April 28 earnings call, Faury indicated the issue had been resolved and that the undelivered planes would be shipped in the second quarter. CFO Thomas Toepfer disclosed roughly €5 billion of inventory built up in the quarter, with the China stoppage identified as a main driver. EASA and COMAC are cooperating on C919 validation, a process that would let Western airlines fly the jet, but regulators cautioned timelines remain uncertain.

The report underscores how regulatory frictions in China could influence global supply chains and competition among Airbus and its rivals. Regulators in Europe said the validation work remains ongoing with the cooperation of COMAC and CAAC, but declined to comment on a completion date. Reuters could not verify the Bloomberg article independently, and Airbus, CAAC, and COMAC did not respond to requests for comment.