Boeing 2024 Results – Indicators Red As the Firm Navigates Its Many Issues

2024 has been yet another complex year in Boeing's recent history. The American aircraft producer has been wrestling with multiple issues which have massively slowed down its aircraft output at the end of the year. So much so that 2024 came to a close with a reduction north of 30% in terms of aircraft deliveries compared to 2023.

Boeing – Lower Delivery Figures For All Aircraft Types Produced

Let's kick things off from the end of the year and to then make our way upstream covering how Boeing has spiraled into this situation. Boeing's Q4 in 2024 was an utter disaster, in terms of aircraft delivered. That is a huge issue, as aircraft manufactures cash in most of the revenue upon delivery. Q4 2024 came to a close with 63% less planes delivered against Q4 2023. Later in the post I'll delve into the reasons that is the case.

Looking at 2024 as a whole, it was negative but not as bad as Q4. The dip stopped at an average 33% less aircraft delivered over 2023. Deliveries of Boeing 737 MAX suffered particularly due to quality assurance issues. The heavy reduction of 767s instead must be contextualized. The wide body aircraft is finally going out of production, decades after it first entered service. Therefore, it is totally normal for these planes to see dips in deliveries.

Lastly, here (below) is the delivery breakdown by aircraft type with number of units delivered per quarter of 2024 and 2023. You just can't help yourself from noticing how abrupt the slowdown was in 2024's Q4 with only 57 planes handed over to clients, in 2023 that number was 157 a whole 100 more.

Why Did Boeing's Deliveries Suffer So Much in 2024?

Let's move on and talk about the context that brought Boeing to suffer so much in 2024. It was, overall, a year filled with difficulties and instability, at both workforce and management levels.

First factor weighing on aircraft deliveries is the fact that the American manufacturer is still to complete certification of key projects such are:

• 737-10
• 737-7
• 777X

Boeing has all but negligible number of orders for these planes. Having them still pending certification means that they are effectively reducing aircraft output.

Another event that just got 2024 off to a horrible start for Boeing was the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX plug door blowout in January 2024. That event prompted authorities to request checks on a large number of 737s which slowed down those being handed over to the final client.

The icing on the cake was the massive strikes Boeing suffered in the closing stages of 2024. The firm had its workers abstain from work wrestling for a pay rise. The strikes were brutal, bring Seattle based production lines to a halt.

The strikes were the first large crisis new CEO Kelly Ortberg found himself to deal with, since taking charge. They were the effect of many years of poor management imposed by CEOs coming from McDonnell Dougles.

With the 2024 management shakeup, hopefully the worst is now behind Boeing. Aviation needs at the least a duopoly to continue to push the limits of innovation. Having an undisputed market leader, Airbus at the moment, really does nobody any good.

You Can Also Check These Other Insight Posts

• 2025 Q1 Deliveries
• 2024 Q1 Deliveries
• 2024 Q2 Deliveries
• 2024 Q3 Deliveries
• Boeing Delivery Tracker Page