Boeing welcomed 73 new aircraft orders in May, suggesting the planemaker is pushing a comeback from the effects of the COVID crisis, and the ramifications of its numerous manufacturing and production flaws highlighted in the first half of this year.
It comes after the planemaker saw just 25 new orders for aircraft in April.
Boeing now boasts 380 gross orders, and a net of 177 orders, for the year-to-date.
Included in May’s figures were 61 orders for the 737 MAX, made across three different customers. Despite a five-week halt in 737 MAX deliveries due to electrical manufacturing faults, the MAX remains a popular purchase for airlines.
As previously reported, Alaska Airlines increased its order for the 737 MAX by an additional 13 jets.
Meanwhile, German flag-carrier Lufthansa placed an order for five long-haul 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. Lufthansa’s freight arm Lufthansa Cargo also placed an order for one 777F widebody freighter.
Two unidentified customers also ordered a total of six 777F freighters.
Also as previously reported, Ireland-based lessor SMBC Aviation Capital ordered 14 737 MAX aircraft.
The remaining orders are made up of Southwest Airlines, which just announced it decided to bolster its orders for the 737 MAX 7, the smallest variant of the MAX family, in light of increasing optimism for the US domestic market.
The planemaker also achieved 17 deliveries in the month of May.
Boeing delivered two 787 Dreamliners throughout the month, following a near-five-month-long freeze on deliveries as the company handled an onslaught of manufacturing flaws in its undelivered Dreamliner fleet.
Southwest Airlines also took delivery of three of its 737 MAX jets, as did BOC Aviation.
Fiji Airways welcomed two MAX jets in May, while 777 Partners and Aeromexico each took delivery of one MAX each.
The planemaker saw 53 cancellations over the month, proving to be less than European competitor Airbus, which saw 125.
The company has an unfilled backlog of 4,983 aircraft but an ASC 606 adjustment says 862 are at risk of cancellation, leaving the net 4,121.
Last year at this time, Boeing had a total of nine orders, mostly 767-300F jets, and had a total of four deliveries.
