Boeing lags behind Airbus as July aircraft deliveries fall short

In its second quarter performance report, Boeing president and chief executive officer Kelly Ortberg stated:

"Our fundamental changes to strengthen safety and quality are producing improved results as we stabilize our operations and deliver higher quality airplanes, products and services to our customers. As we look to the second half of the year, we remain focused on restoring trust and making continued progress in our recovery while operating in a dynamic global environment."

Boeing has not reached the FAA-imposed cap for monthly deliveries of the 737 MAX series. In July, it delivered just one fewer than allowed under current restrictions. The company has asked regulators to raise or remove these limits as certification nears for both the MAX 7 and MAX 10 variants.

Production issues with the MAX date back several years after fatal crashes involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines led to slowdowns and lengthy certification delays for new versions. After some improvement, progress was set back again by last year’s door incident. In response, Boeing merged with key supplier Spirit Aerosystems to improve quality control.

The manufacturer is also facing delays with its next-generation widebody jet, the Boeing 777X. Certification for this model remains incomplete several years past original projections; full-rate production is now expected no earlier than mid-2026 if approval comes early next year.

Meanwhile, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner program has seen increased output. Monthly deliveries have doubled since January; after delivering four Dreamliners at that time, numbers rose to seven in May, nine in June and eight in July.

Both Boeing and Airbus continue to face supply chain challenges following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. While Airbus reportedly has many planes awaiting engines due to ongoing supply shortages (source), it is also contending with export difficulties linked to international trade tensions that do not affect Boeing directly (source).