Boeing has revealed it delivered 45 aircraft in June, more than double its total of just 17 in May.
Most deliveries the US planemaker fulfilled were 737 MAX jets, including the 33 sent to airlines such as Aeromexico, Alaska, flydubai, Ryanair, Southwest and Turkish Airlines.
Overall, Boeing delivered jets to 18 separate customers that month. Other aircraft delivered were the 767-2C, 737-800A, 777F, 767-300F, 787-9, and the 777-200LR.
The results come a day after Boeing announced its delay of 787 Dreamliner jets due to fuselage manufacturing issues, which the company is now working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fix.
“In connection with these efforts, the company has identified additional rework that will be required on undelivered 787s,” Boeing said in a statement.
“We will continue to take the necessary time to ensure Boeing airplanes meet the highest quality prior to delivery. Across the enterprise, our teams remain focused on safety and integrity, as we drive stability, first-time quality and productivity in our operations.”
The inspections and rework will take a few additional weeks, leading to a production rate less than its five-month standard.
The company now expects to deliver less than half of its 787 orders in inventory this year.
Vertical Research Partners analyst Robert Stallard said in a client note seen by Reuters: “To us, this is more significant than the cut to the delivery forecast, as it ripples down through the supply chain.
“The supply chain cannot just be turned on and off like a switch.”
The increase of 737 MAX deliveries comes as the jet re-entered service after the 20-month groundings due to the fatal 2018 and 2019 crashes, killing 346 passengers.
“In the second quarter, we made progress in safely returning the 737 MAX to service in more international markets and increasing the pace of 737 deliveries,” Boeing said.
Airbus released its June results earlier last week, delivering a total of 77 aircraft across 44 separate customers, up from the 50 deliveries last month.
Last month, the chief executive officer of Airbus, Guillaume Faury, said that some of the industry’s trusted narrow-bodied workhorses, including the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families of aircraft, will lead the industry’s recovery.
Bigger jets are likely to continue to fall out of favour with airlines due to lack of demand and increased running costs.
Reuters announced yesterday the United Arab Emirates airline flydubai said it has agreed with Boeing to cut 65 of its 737 MAX orders after receiving 16 of the jets.
