PARIS, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Airbus delivered a

stronger-than-expected 73 jets in September, a record for that

month of the year, as delays in engine deliveries showed signs

of easing, industry sources said.

Airbus declined to comment on the figure, which is higher

than earlier analyst forecasts of 69 to 70 deliveries.

The breakthrough in September deliveries, up from 61 in the

same month last year, brings the cumulative total since January

above 2024's running year-to-date tally for the first time.

However, it also leaves Airbus needing to pull off a record

fourth-quarter with 313 deliveries between October and December,

up 16% from the last three months of 2024, to reach a full-year

target of 820 deliveries, independent analyst Rob Morris said.

The previous fourth-quarter peak was 297 in 2018, he added.

September's figure implies that Airbus delivered 507

aircraft between January and September, up 2% from 497 in the

first nine months of last year. Deliveries at the half-year

stage were down 5%.

Jefferies, which estimates 69 deliveries in September, said

this week that the month had seen a notable increase compared

with the previous year, suggesting an easing of the recent gaps

in engine supplies mainly from CFM.

Provisional data from analytics firm Cirium pegged September

deliveries at 70 aircraft.

Airbus has seen production of its A320 single-aisle held

back by delayed engines, while also struggling with plans to

increase output of its best-selling model to 75 a month.

Even so, the 54-year-old European company is on the cusp of

making industry history as total A320 deliveries look set to

match those of the Boeing 737 - or more than 12,250 aircraft

each - to become the most-sold commercial jetliner, Morris said.

Airbus will issue monthly order and delivery data on October

8.