Deliveries Slip As Max Effect Fully Takes Hold

Boeing’s third-quarter commercial aircraft deliveries fell from 190 in the third quarter of 2018 to 63 during the same three months this year due mainly to the continued grounding of the 737 Max. Last year’s third quarter saw a total of 138 Boeing 737s delivered, compared with just five—all 737NGs—from this past July through September. All told, Boeing has delivered only 302 commercial airplanes for the year through September, compared with 568 during the same three quarters in 2018.

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All but one of Boeing’s other commercial programs—the 747—at least kept pace with deliveries during the prior year. The company delivered thirty-five 787 Dreamliners during the quarter, or one more than during the same period last year; twelve 777s—the same number as in the third quarter of 2018; ten 767s, or six more than it shipped in the same period last year; and a single 747—compared with two in the corresponding period in 2018.

The 737 Max saga has given Airbus a big advantage over Boeing’s delivery performance this year, as the European airframer shipped 182 airplanes across its product line during the quarter, including 128 A320s, 12 A220s, 17 A330s, and 24 A350s and a single A380. Through the end of September Airbus had delivered a total of 571 airplanes this year.