Official information from Boeing indicates that 32 aircraft passed to their operators in January. While the first months of the year usually see numbers depressed for seasonal reasons, the low number indicates the influence that the suspension of 787 Dreamliner deliveries has on the manufacturer’s operation.
Deliveries for the first month of the year were almost entirely narrowbody aircraft: 27 units of the 737 MAX family. The total is rounded out by military variants delivered to the U.S. Air Force (two KC-46 Pegasus) and Navy (two P-8A Poseidon), and by a 777F that departed for China. Of the MAXs, the largest deliveries went to Ryanair with seven, four to Turkey’s SunExpress, and three to Brazil’s GOL.
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By December Boeing had already delivered 38 aircraft, and 34 in November. The decline in the first quarter is normal and kind of expected for the industry and is attributed to seasonal effects. In January 2021, at the height of the pandemic and with the 737 MAX just refurbished, Boeing delivered just 26 units.
On the order side, Boeing closed business for 77 units in January. These included fourteen additional 777Xs and two 777Fs placed by Qatar. Twenty of the 737 MAX orders were placed by “unspecified customers”. U.S.-based American Airlines and Southwest Airlines closed the total with 23 and 12 units respectively.
See also: Boeing picks up delivery pace despite 787 problems
Between the MAX crises – fortunately now almost solved – and the 787 production problems – which are almost nine months away – Boeing ceded for the third consecutive year the position of most aircraft delivered in the year to its European rival Airbus. The year 2021 closed with 340 units for the U.S. manufacturer while the Old World giant ended with 611 units delivered.
