Airbus Says Non-U.S. Orders Get Priority If Tariffs Imposed

Airbus says it may divert deliveries from the U.S. if tariffs raise prices to its American customers. In an unusually blunt statement at a company news conference last week CEO Guillaume Faury said he would not hesitate to "prioritize deliveries" to non-U.S. customers if the government imposes any of the wide ranging tariffs that have been discussed.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/airbus-says-non-u-s-orders-get-priority-if-tariffs-imposed

When life offers you lemons, make lemonade.

This isn’t just a matter of Airbus playing hardball, it’s business.

Oh, and one more thing—

Back in 2018, Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico, and the EU jacked up prices overnight on cars, appliances, and construction materials, hitting businesses and consumers immediately. Tariffs on China that same year drove up costs on electronics, clothing, and essentials, forcing businesses to cut jobs or squeeze consumers.

Now, we’re back on the same self-inflicted rollercoaster—only worse. The new 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will gut middle-class wallets with higher prices on cars, groceries, beer, appliances, home construction, and air travel—all essentials.

And the damage starts long before tariffs even take effect. Just the mention of them causes businesses to hike prices, stockpile supplies, and squeeze consumers. Companies use tariffs as an excuse for price gouging, and once prices go up, they rarely come back down.

Now, Airbus is in the blast zone too. If they shift deliveries away from the U.S., American airlines will face delayed aircraft, rising costs, and fewer fleet upgrades. That means higher ticket prices, fewer flights, and aging planes that cost more to maintain—all dumped on passengers.

Last time, retaliatory tariffs put U.S. farmers and industries through the wringer. This time? The economy is weaker, Boeing is already drowning, and airlines can’t just magic up new suppliers.

In 2018, we stretched the rubber band and felt the sting. In 2025, it’s about to snap—and when it does, American consumers will be the ones getting smacked in the face.

Airbus just shifted demand for their product to Boeing. It’s just what Boeing needs. Airbus cannot be more stupid. You never besmirch your customers. They have long memories.

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That’s not a bug, that’s a feature. This is exactly what tariffs are supposed to do.

Now, if only Boeing could make airplanes that didn’t fall out of the sky…

It says "may and “if”. nothing more.
I doubt if it’s legal to divert planes already contracted.
I doubt if they can make up the difference with international sales.

Sounds like they are playing up to their local crowd (but will still be selling all the planes they can to anyone who wants them). It’s so Casablanca, so French.

No, Trump’s 2018 tariffs did not lead to inflation, federal reserve policies and deficit spending did.

“What Trump’s Tariffs Did Last Time (2018-2019): No Impact on Inflation, Doubled Receipts from Customs Duties, and Hit Stocks”

https://wolfstreet.com/2025/02/03/what-trumps-tariffs-did-last-time-2018-2019-had-no-impact-on-inflation-doubled-receipts-from-customs-duties-and-hit-stocks/

Trump is using tariffs to (a) force our neighbors to stop the invasion of illegals and (b) the flood of drugs across the border. Border encounters are down by 95% compared to this time last year, so obviously the tariffs are working.

The second purpose of tariffs is to balance the lopsided trade imbalance caused by much higher tariffs by other countries on US exports. This is detailed here:

Airbus claimed a few years ago that more than half the content value of their heavily-subsidized aircraft comes from the US, for instance jet engines and avionics. They also sell primarily to leasing companies since most airlines these days lease their aircraft, they do not buy them. Same for the turbines.

What we are seeing is the same as the reaction from a spoiled brat who gets swatted on his rear for the first time in life. The brats will survive the spanking and be the better for it in the long run.

Parts too? Hopefully Trump gets an earful from the airline CEOs and passengers who can’t get anywhere because their aircraft are AOG waiting on parts.

“Don’t worry folks, our part will be here Thursday. But please remain seated with your seatbelts securely fastened.”

Legal? You’ll have to do better than that with this administration.

If Trumps FAA Chief lets Boeing “go wild” then I agree.

You missed the humor in the Casablanca reference, the French will still deliver because they want the money. “I’m shocked — shocked — to find that gambling is going on in here!”. Same as it ever was.

Politicians evade that actions have consequences, in this case predictable.

BUT fewer Boeing airplanes will be sold outside the US - years ago half of Boeing’s commercial airliner production was exported.
Politicians are behaving like Marxists - fixed-pie exploitation.

A fair number of parts of Airbus aircraft are made by US manufacturers. I wonder how this will affect them?

Why is it “unfair” to impose reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose tariffs on our goods? Many of the tariffs on exported US goods are holdovers from the post WWII era when we were helping much of the world rebuild their industries. Strikes me as short-sighted to demand the cheapest possible (i.e. tariff free) imported goods while allowing US companies and their workers to be harmed by tariffs on their exported goods. I guess we Americans want to save a nickel even if unbalanced tarrifs harm our industries.

In addition to the fewer number of Boeing planes being sent overseas, Boeing will also have to deal with the higher cost of aluminum from President Trump’s stiff tariffs on that import. These kinds of tariffs on our largest trading partners is a violation of the US/Mexico/Canada trade agreement that Trump negotiated in his first term. Also, using the threat of tariffs to help curb illegal drug imports or immigration issues is kind of like threatening to burn down your neighbor’s house if he doesn’t mow his lawn. In the words of Milton Friedman (Nobel Laureat in economics), “Tariffs are the weapon of trade wars, and no one wins a trade war”.

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I have not looked lately. But in the past aluminum was plentiful in the US and adjustment to demand is relatively strait forward at manufacturing facilities in the US. Suggesting steep aluminum tariffs for US aluminum producers and users are a fiction.
Distractions trying to create a problem where none exists. If you really have the time to shoot your pen off on aluminum; why not contact the US aluminum manufacturers and users and see what they say. I am willing to bet it is 180 degrees off of what you have stated. Or, know your markets before you shoot your pen off!!!

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