US aviation major Boeing has delivered more jets in the first quarter of 2023 than its European rival Airbus, media reports said.
The US firm delivered 130 aircraft in the first quarter, which corresponds to January-March 2023. This is a 37 per cent increase from last year. On the other hand, Airbus saw a 9 per cent drop in its delivery compared to 2022, while shipping 127 aircraft in the first three months of 2023.
The month of March, in particular, was significant for the US plane maker as it delivered 64 planes, which is nearly half of the quarterly numbers announced for the first quarter. In the same month, Airbus delivered 61 jets, three less than Boeing.
This is the first time in nearly five years that the US plane maker has beaten its European rival in terms of deliveries, a Bloomberg report noted. Back then, Airbus faced engine shortages for its a320neo airliners. In 2023, a shortfall in deliveries to China’s airlines is being cited as a reason for the dip in Airbus’ deliveries.
For Boeing, the Q1 result is like a shot in the arm. The US plane maker has faced several supply chain disruptions due to the Covid pandemic, the Ukraine war, and the 2022 lockdown in China. The disruptions in the supply chain impacted the delivery timelines of the US-based aviation company.
Reacting to the criticism of slower deliveries, a Boeing executive was quoted by Reuters as saying that increasing production after COVID-19 lockdowns was “not as easy as an on/off switch.”
Boeing is betting on its 737 aircraft and its higher variant 737 MAX — both are considered cash cows for the company — for growing sales and revenue. According to a Bloomberg report, Boeing is laying plans to hike output at its Seattle factory by 23 per cent by June 2023.
However, Boeing is likely to face tough competition from Airbus. Media reports said that the European plane maker will ramp up its assembly line in China to boost production. Airbus aims to deliver 720 aircraft this year.
Boeing has a target of delivering 400 737 MAXs aircraft and 70 787s in 2023. Media reports suggest that Boeing is likely to meet its targets for 737 MAX deliveries. But with just 11 787s delivered in the first three months, it is still far from reaching the delivery target.
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