Airbus delivered 488 planes between January and September, 51 more than the previous year. On the other hand, Boeing delivered 117 fewer planes than its European competitor, with 371 deliveries during the same period in 2023. Airbus has outpaced Boeing with 1,280 aircraft orders through August, 424 more than the previous year, over Boeing's 848 orders.
Aircraft manufacturers have faced challenges keeping up with the increasing demand for fuel-efficient planes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They have also been struggling with disruptions in shipments from their pool of suppliers, as well as their production shortfalls as they work to increase production.
Aircraft Deliveries in September: Airbus Ahead
Airbus delivered 55 aircraft to 34 customers in September, the same as in the same month last year. Additionally, the company received orders for 23 aircraft this month, compared to 13 in the previous year.
On the other hand, the North American manufacturer delivered 27 aircraft, 34 fewer than in September 2022. However, it received 224 orders, more than double the orders it received last year.
In September, Boeing delivered 15 737 MAX, one 787-8, five 787-9s, two 777Fs, and three 787-10s. Meanwhile, Airbus reported deliveries of four A220-300s, one A319neo, 23 A320neo family, 20 A321neo, two A330-900s, and five A350-900s.
New production problems for the Boeing 737 MAX
Boeing is currently investigating production problems with the 737 MAX. This investigation was prompted by a recent defect that caused the company's shares to fall. According to The Air Current and Bloomberg, X-ray inspections of the 737 Max's aft pressure bulkhead have been expanded to include hand-drilled fasteners and the laser-guided installations previously under scrutiny.
In addition, Ryanair recently announced that it will reduce its winter 2023 schedule due to the delay in the delivery of Boeing aircraft. The airline expected to receive 27 planes between September and December, but now it will only have 14 aircraft available from October to December. Ryanair is working with Boeing to speed up deliveries from January to May 2024 to cope with this situation. The airline hopes this will enable it to start the 2024 summer travel season with 57 new aircraft deliveries planned.