Airbus and Boeing Charter Antonov An-124 to Unclog Aerostructure Supply Chains

Airbus and Boeing have each chartered the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, one of the world’s largest four-engine cargo aircraft, to transport outsized aerostructure components. The An-124 was used in mid-June 2026 to move two upper fuselage sections from a Daher Aerospace facility in Florida to Boeing’s Everett plant, and in early July 2026 to airlift parts for Airbus’s A350 wide-body jet. The charters follow a similar An-124 flight that carried components for the Boeing 777-F freighter earlier in 2026. Both manufacturers said the flights were intended to keep assembly lines running amid “lingering strains” in the aerospace supply chain.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 productionReuters? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply Chain

Airbus’s shift from sea freight to air freight for A350 sections reflects operational difficulties at the former Spirit AeroSystems plant in Kinston, North Carolina. Airbus acquired the Kinston facility in December 2025 as part of a joint breakup with Boeing, and the plant’s integration has been described as a “complex multi-year journey.” Prior to the charter, Airbus relied on a buffer of four ready-set component inventories that allowed sea transport; the buffer has since eroded, prompting the urgent airlift.

? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply ChainAn-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 productionReuters

Boeing’s 767 program, now limited to the 767-300F freighter and the KC-46A aerial tanker, faces a bottleneck in delivering two upper fuselage sections that would normally travel overland. The company’s letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation on June 22 2026 and July 1 2026 request a cabotage exemption for the An-124, emphasizing that “those delays would impose a significant economic cost if not avoided.”

Reuters

• December 2025 – Airbus takes ownership of the Kinston plant from Spirit AeroSystems.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• Early 2026 – An-124 transports components for the Boeing 777-F freighter.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• June 22 2026 – Boeing submits a DOT letter requesting An-124 use for two upper 767 fuselage sections.

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• July 1 2026 – Boeing files a second DOT request supporting the same exemption.

? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply Chain

• July 15 2026 – Reuters reports the simultaneous Airbus and Boeing An-124 charters.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• Airbus delivered 793 aircraft in 2025 (up from 766 in 2024) and is quietly raising its 2026 delivery target from 870 to 900.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• Boeing delivered 600 aircraft in 2025.

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• The Kinston buffer previously held four complete sets of A350 sections; current shortages have eliminated that safety stock.

? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply Chain

The reliance on heavy-lift air freight signals thin inventory margins and higher operating costs for both manufacturers. For Boeing, delays in the 767-300F affect the supply of KC-46A tankers, a key component of the U.S. Air Force’s aerial refueling fleet. For Airbus, A350 delivery delays could impact airline fleet planning and revenue forecasts through 2026.

? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply Chain

Airbus officials confirmed occasional use of the Antonov aircraft but did not specify which programs were involved. They emphasized progress in separating the Kinston facility from its former owner while acknowledging the integration remains a multi-year effort. Boeing indicated it employs “a variety of transportation methods to maintain stability in our production” and highlighted the economic risk of further delays, citing the urgent need for the 767 components.

? Airbus and Boeing Turn to Giant Antonov An-124 to Unclog Supply Chain

Industry analysts note that chartering the An-124 “underscores pressure on manufacturers to keep assembly lines fresh and tackle pockets of delays that threaten a broad recovery in production schedules.” They warn that the added cost of heavy-lift flights reflects a scarcity of buffer stocks and could erode profit margins if the practice becomes routine.

Reuters

Public filings disclose Boeing’s request for a domestic cabotage exemption but do not reveal the exact cost differential between air and sea transport. Airbus has not disclosed the precise number of A350 sections moved by the An-124, leaving the scale of the supply-chain disruption partially unquantified.

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• “we sometimes use the Antonov,” — Airbus spokesperson

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• “a variety of transportation methods to maintain stability in our production,” — Boeing spokesperson

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• “Regarding Kinston, we are making progress towards separation from the previous owner and integration into the Airbus landscape. However , it remains a complex multi-year journey to complete.” — Airbus spokesperson

An-124 Ruslan flights aid Airbus A350 and Boeing 767 production

• “Those delays would impose a significant economic cost if not avoided," it added.” — Boeing, letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation (June 22 2026)

Reuters