Boeing Co delivered 160 aircraft during the third quarter, the most since 2018 and an indicator the planemaker is rebounding from the turmoil that damaged its finances and reputation.
The manufacturer handed over 55 jets in September, including 41 of its 737 family aircraft, while preparing to speed the production tempo for its moneymaker. Boeing also delivered seven of its 787 Dreamliner models, three 777 freighters and four 767 planes.
Boeing wants to gain US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval to boost output of the single-aisle models by 10% to a monthly pace of 42 jets — a key step toward building cash reserves. The company told suppliers the 737 production increase could happen as soon as this month, with two more rate hikes planned for 2026, Bloomberg reported.
Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing already is handing over 737 aircraft at a faster pace, averaging about 40 shipments per month during the third quarter. Factory rollouts are being supplemented with jets pulled from storage lots as the company reduces its inventory of already-built 737 Max planes.
The manufacturer shipped 440 commercial aircraft during the first nine months of the year, including 330 from its 737 family. Rival Airbus SE delivered 507 planes during the same period.
A year earlier, Boeing delivered just 291 planes while grappling with a strike and federal scrutiny following a near-catastrophe linked to quality lapses in a Seattle-area factory.
Boeing booked 96 gross jet orders against one cancellation last month as it benefits from President Donald Trump’s plane diplomacy. That total includes 50 Dreamliners ordered by Turkish Airlines after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the White House on September 25.
Through September, the company recorded 821 gross orders against 47 cancellations or conversions. Net orders stand at 870, reflecting a US accounting provision for at-risk deals.