Boeing has released its delivery and order report for November. The US manufacturer delivered 44 aircraft in November, down from 53 in October, marking a 17% decline. This performance further widened the gap with Airbus, which delivered 72 aircraft during the same period. Analysts note that this drop increases pressure on the company’s quarterly targets.
Slowdown in 737 Max and 787 Dreamliner Deliveries
In November, Boeing delivered 32 737 Max aircraft, the backbone of short-haul fleet operations; five of these were handed over to Southwest Airlines.
In the wide-body category, six 787 Dreamliners were delivered to customers. The deliveries included two Dreamliners that are part of TAAG Angola Airlines’ growth strategy.
Boeing also delivered two 777 freighters and four 767s to Turkish Airlines and Moldova-based Aerotranscargo.
Net 126 New Orders in November: Strong Interest in the 777X
Despite the decline in deliveries, Boeing received 164 new orders in November. After 38 cancellations, the month closed with 126 net orders.
The most notable part of the orders was the long-delayed 777X programme.
A total of 74 777X aircraft were ordered. Launch customer Emirates increased its order by 65 at the Dubai Airshow, bringing its total 777X order tally to 270 aircraft.
China Airlines announced nine additional 777X orders on top of the 14 it placed earlier in the year.
Boeing also received orders for:
- 30 787 Dreamliners (15 from Gulf Air, 8 from Uzbekistan Airways, 6 from Etihad Airways, and 1 from an unnamed customer),
- 43 737 Max,
- 15 KC-46 tankers for the US Air Force,
- 2 777 freighters.
Meanwhile, Etihad cancelled 15 777X orders, Air Canada cancelled four 787s, and Comair cancelled five 737 Max aircraft.
Industry Competition Intensifies: Airbus Lowers Its Target
Although Airbus achieved higher delivery numbers in November, the manufacturer recently revised its annual target downwards by 4% to 790 aircraft due to quality-related reasons.
On the Boeing side, delays in the 737 Max and 777X programmes continue to fuel investor concerns. Boeing shares saw a slight decline following the release of the November report.
Year-End Outlook: 537 Deliveries, Backlog Exceeds 6,000
As of 30 November, the company had delivered:
- 396 737 Max,
- 74 787,
- 33 777,
- 28 767,
for a total of 537 aircraft for the year.
Boeing’s annual order volume has reached 1,000, while net orders, after cancellations and conversions, stand at 908. The company’s backlog has reached 6,019 aircraft.
Positive Cash Flow Expected in 2026
Boeing’s Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave stated last week that the company expects to achieve positive cash flow in 2026 as deliveries increase.
However, the current slowdown and programme delays continue to challenge Boeing’s efforts to close the gap with Airbus.
