Airbus owner EADS confirmed that its A350 long range aircraft is to be delayed by up to six months.
The disclosure came as the European aerospace giant reported a 15% drop in third quarter operating profits to 322 million euros.
The slump came as quarterly revenues declined by 4% to 10.75 billion euros. Net profit in the third quarter was 312 million euros, up from 13 million euros a year earlier.
EADS said it had taken a charge of 200 million euros to cover production and delivery delays in its A350 long-range aircraft.
The lightweight composite rival to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will now enter service in the first half of 2014, up to six months late. Final assembly of the A350 will start in the first quarter of 2012.
EADS raised its full-year order forecast for Airbus by 50% to 1,500 aircraft, and said it expected 2011 operating profit to be 1.45 billion euros.
Airbus delivered 376 aircraft during the first nine months of the year and expects to deliver between 520 and 530 aircraft by the end of 2011.