Boeing saw 787 deliveries rally in September while its 737 handovers continued their projected lull as the company addresses the latest production-quality slip-up that requires pre-delivery rework.
September’s 10 787 deliveries are the most in any month in 2023 and matched December 2022’s total. Boeing entered October with 50 787 deliveries for the year, leaving it with 20 to go to hit the bottom end of its projected full-year total of 70-80 deliveries.
September’s total was one more than Boeing’s combined July and August deliveries, suggesting it has a handle on the myriad inspection and rework steps required to get both stored 787s and new-build units out the door.
Deliveries of 737s fell to 15 in September after averaging about 33 per month through August. The 737 program’s delivery pace has been affected by aft pressure bulkhead fastener work required on many, but not all, airframes built before August. The work takes several weeks on completed airframes.
Two of the 737 deliveries went to Air India. They are the first of 55 737s built for Chinese airlines but re-sold while deliveries to carriers in that country remain on hold.
Boeing expected a dip in delivery numbers as a result but remains confident it will meet its full-year target of at least 400 737 program deliveries. It entered October with 286, meaning it must average 38 per month in the fourth quarter.
Boeing’s 27 September deliveries also included a pair of 777 freighters.
The company’s order book showed an impressive 214 net orders. But the figure offered little new news, as 150 of the purchases were 737-10s announced by Ryanair in May while 50 787-9s were part of United Airlines’ most recent order unveiled last month and 18 787-10s were announced by Air Canada in September. Boeing did book six 787 orders for unidentified customers.
Boeing also recorded 10 cancellations. Two of them were 777Fs canceled by Air Canada as part of its most recent order. LATAM Airlines Group canceled one 777F and four 787s. Aerolineas Argentinas canceled one 737 MAX, while two other 737 MAXs were canceled by unidentified customers.
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