Boeing on Tuesday said it delivered 29 planes in March, more than half the number of planes delivered in the same month last year, down from 64 planes, as production of the 737 MAX fell due to increased quality inspections and audits by regulators. did.
Boeing will reduce production of its MAX single-aisle planes to improve manufacturing quality after a door plug on a 737 MAX 9 plane exploded in mid-air on January 5, prompting increased scrutiny from regulators. announced.
Reuters reported earlier this month that Boeing’s monthly production rate had fallen to single digits in late March, well below the Federal Aviation Administration’s cap of 38 aircraft per month.
Boeing delivered 83 aircraft to customers in the first three months of 2024, including 66 MAX jets, down from a total of 130 aircraft deliveries in the first quarter of 2023, the company said. It is said that he did.
“We’re intentionally going to delay resolving this issue,” Boeing Chief Financial Officer Brian West said at a Bank of America conference last month. “We made the decision to limit the cost of the 737 program to less than $38 per month until we feel ready.”
Boeing announced in March that it had delivered eight MAX jets to Chinese airlines. China resumed MAX deliveries in January.
Boeing’s European rival Airbus delivered 142 aircraft in the first quarter of 2024, an increase of 12% from a year earlier, Reuters reported earlier this month, citing industry sources.
Boeing also announced Tuesday that it received 113 new orders for March, boosted by a contract for 85 737 MAX 10s from American Airlines and orders for aircraft from Airbus and Embraer. This brings Boeing’s total orders so far this year to 131 aircraft.
After excluding cancellations and conversions, Boeing recorded a net total of 126 orders since the beginning of 2024.
After making further accounting adjustments to reflect the quality of the backlog, Boeing reported adjusted net orders for 125 aircraft so far this year.
Boeing stock fell nearly 2% Tuesday to close at $178.12.
