In May, Boeing experienced a sluggish period in new aircraft orders, securing commitments for only four planes, and notably, none for its flagship 737 Max model. This marks the second consecutive month of no new orders for the 737 Max, continuing the model’s downturn following a January incident where a side panel on a Max jet ruptured during flight.
Comparatively, Airbus, Boeing’s European rival, reported healthier order numbers, securing 27 new aircraft orders in the same month.
Further complicating Boeing’s challenges, Aerolineas Argentinas withdrew an existing order for one Max jet, effectively reducing Boeing’s net sales to three for May.
The tepid sales performance in May follows similarly disappointing figures from April, where Boeing reported a total of seven aircraft sales, none of which included the 737 Max.
Amid these sales challenges, Boeing expressed hopes that the recent slowdown is merely a prelude to a resurgence in activity, anticipated during next month’s Farnborough International Airshow—a key event where significant aircraft deals are traditionally brokered.
However, Boeing’s production dynamics are currently under scrutiny. The Federal Aviation Administration has imposed restrictions on the production of 737s following safety concerns, including an incident involving an Alaska Airlines Max jet where a door plug was dislodged. The situation is further exacerbated by whistleblower allegations of production shortcuts and reports of falsified inspection records on some 787 Dreamliner jets.
Despite these setbacks, Boeing managed to deliver 24 jetliners in May, including 19 Max jets. Among the recipients, Ireland’s Ryanair received four, and Alaska Airlines took delivery of three. In contrast, Airbus reported a total of 53 plane deliveries for the month.
Despite recent sales hurdles, Boeing maintains a substantial backlog, with more than 5,600 orders still on the books.