Jet engine maker CFM has agreed to divert some engines to Airbus to narrow a supply gap as the planemaker battles to hit end-year targets, three people familiar with the matter said.

Under the agreement reached this month, CFM is expected to divert to Airbus some engines that had initially been allocated to the aftermarket, the sources said.

The number of engines involved was not immediately clear, but has raised confidence that Airbus can take a step towards meeting challenging delivery targets of "around 770" aircraft for 2024, barring other supply setbacks, they added.

"We are working hard to meet demand from our customers and to maximise fleet utilisation," said a spokesperson for CFM, jointly owned by GE Aerospace and Safran.

"We are working with our suppliers including our engine suppliers to deliver on the commitments," an Airbus spokesperson said.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; editing by Jason Neely)