SEATTLE — Boeing continued to struggle with airplane production in October as teams of mechanics performed the slow work of inspecting for defects and repairing the newly built 737 MAXs, data released Tuesday shows.
However, October was a very good month for Boeing jet sales with a total of 117 net new orders, mostly thanks to Southwest Airlines.
And with a big order-fest for Boeing in the first days of the Dubai Air Show, November is looking even better.
Boeing commercial jet deliveries ticked up in October only slightly from the previous month to a still-low 34 airplanes, including just 18 MAXs.
Airbus delivered 71 aircraft in October, more than twice as many as Boeing. That included 51 of its A320 family of jets that competes with the 737 MAX.
Boeing had delivered 48 MAXs in June, before discovery of the latest defect — misdrilled holes in the aft pressure bulkhead that seals the rear of the passenger cabin.
Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West last month promised that a recovery in MAX production is not far ahead.
He said on a company earnings call that MAX production will stabilize at 38 jets per month by year-end with deliveries picking up in this month and next.
West projected between 375 and 400 MAX deliveries for the year. Through October, Boeing delivered 298 MAXs, so making that target requires a ramp-up of deliveries from 18 MAXs to at least 38 or 39 in each of the two remaining months.
Boeing also delivered 15 widebody jets in October, comprising six 787 passenger jets, six widebody freighters and three 767 airframes for conversion into KC-46 Air Force refueling tankers.
Airbus delivered 11 widebody jets, all passenger airliners: Three A330neos and eight A350-900s.
Orders flowing
This year through October, Boeing delivered 405 commercial jets, including the 298 MAXs and 100 widebody jets.
In the same period, Airbus delivered 559 commercial jets, including 442 of the A320 family and 67 widebody jets.
In sales, Boeing came out on top in October with a big order from Southwest Airlines for 111 MAXs.
It also won orders for 10 787 Dreamliners and two 777 freighters. Six 737 MAX orders were canceled for a net gain of 117 aircraft.
Through October, Boeing has won 841 net orders.
Airbus won net orders for 93 jets in October, bringing its total for 2023 to 1,334 net orders.
However, in the first two days of the Dubai Air Show, Boeing bagged orders and commitments for 180 jets, of which 108 are the more expensive widebody aircraft.
In contrast, Airbus announced orders for just 40, and only 10 of those were widebody aircraft.
Assuming those are all finalized and booked by year-end, the annual-order race now looks much more respectable for Boeing.
Post-Dubai, Boeing has 1,021 jet orders and commitments compared to 1,374 for Airbus.
And because the Boeing tally is much more heavily weighted toward the bigger, more expensive widebodies, the race will be close in terms of the total dollar value of airplanes ordered.
