Boeing added 75 net new jet orders in January

Boeing 777-8F Freighter & 777-9

Boeing released data Feb. 8 showing it added 75 net new jet orders in January, boosted by both the launch of its big new freighter jet, the 777-8F, and more orders for the 737 MAX.

Airplane deliveries remained low at 32 for the month, just three of which were the larger widebody aircraft built in Everett.

Airbus in January lost more orders through cancellations than it booked, ending the month with a deficit of 16 airplanes. And Airbus delivered only 30 planes in the month.

The Qatar Airways order for the new Boeing freighter added a net increase of 14 orders for the forthcoming 777X, after subtracting 20 orders for the passenger version that the airline converted to the new cargo model.

That bumps up the 777X unfilled orders to 334 airplanes. However, The Seattle Times estimates that more than 50 of those have since been classified as doubtful due to contractual or financing issues.

In addition, Boeing won eight orders for the current 777 cargo model, the 777F, now the planemaker’s best-selling freighter jet ever. Those consisted of two from Qatar, four from China Airlines of Taiwan and two more from unidentified customers.

Boeing also won 53 net orders for the MAX, including 23 from American Airlines and a dozen from Southwest Airlines, which has now has placed 440 orders for the MAX.

In addition to winning the new orders, Boeing restored a net total of 23 planes to its official backlog after previously removing them because of lack of financing to complete the purchases or contractual difficulties.

Those planes now back in the official order book include 20 of the 777X passenger jets, the first of which is due for delivery in late 2023.

This brings Boeing’s total backlog to 4,316 airplanes, of which 3,405 are MAXs.

Airbus booked gross new orders for 36 single-aisle jets, but recorded order cancellations for 50 of its previously hot-selling A321neo as well as a cancellation for two of its largest airplane, the A350-1000.

This brings Airbus’ total backlog to 7,036 airplanes, of which 5,759 are A320neos.

Boeing delivered 27 MAXs in January, along with two 737-based P-8 anti-submarine planes for the Navy, all built in Renton.

It has now delivered more than 300 MAXs since the jet was ungrounded and returned to service in late December 2020.

At the end of last year, Boeing still had 335 MAXs in inventory, awaiting delivery.

From the Everett plant, Boeing delivered two 767 air refueling tankers for the Air Force and a single commercial widebody: a 777F cargo plane to China Eastern.

Deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner remain halted.

Boeing still awaits clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration for the repairs to a slew of quality problems on 787s that previously rolled off the assembly lines, work that’s going on in both Everett and North Charleston, South Carolina. seattletimes.com