The aerospace giant Boeing reported delivering 46 aircraft during March, representing a decline from the 51 planes delivered in February, as the company addressed electrical wiring defects in roughly 25 of its widely-used 737 MAX aircraft.
While Boeing didn’t reveal exactly how many aircraft handovers were postponed due to the repair work, Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave previously indicated in March that approximately 10 deliveries of 737 aircraft would shift into the second quarter, though he emphasized this wouldn’t impact the company’s annual delivery targets for the 737 program.
The Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer’s March performance fell short of European competitor Airbus, which completed 60 aircraft deliveries during the same period. Boeing has consistently delivered fewer planes than Airbus annually since 2018. Wall Street analysts pay close attention to delivery figures since aircraft manufacturers collect the majority of payment when planes are transferred to buyers.
For new business, Boeing secured 33 fresh orders while experiencing two order cancellations, resulting in 31 net new orders for March.
Looking at the broader picture, Boeing handed over 143 aircraft during the first quarter of the year, surpassing Airbus’s 114 deliveries as the European manufacturer faces challenges with engine supply shortages. This compares to 41 jets Boeing delivered in March of the previous year.
March’s delivery breakdown included 33 aircraft from the 737 MAX line, one 737 Next Generation model designated for U.S. Navy P-8 conversion, seven 787 Dreamliners, three 777 cargo planes, one 767 freighter, and one 767 scheduled for conversion into a KC-46 military refueling aircraft for the U.S. Air Force.
Regarding new orders, Boeing received 25 requests for 737 aircraft from undisclosed buyers in March, consisting of 20 MAX variants and five Next Generation models. Additionally, the company logged eight orders for 787 aircraft from unidentified customers.
Two airlines, Air Europa and Enter Air, each withdrew orders for 737 MAX aircraft during the month.
For the entire first quarter, Boeing accumulated 149 new orders after accounting for cancellations and aircraft conversions. The company concluded March with a total order backlog of 6,127 aircraft, including 4,368 from the 737 family, 94 of the 767 model, 606 from the 777 line, and 1,059 787 Dreamliners.
