Well I think we can all agree that it hasn't been the start to the year that Boeing could have hoped for. To start off the year the Alaska Airlines incident, then the following shakeup in company management. However I think it is safe to say that nobody, unless you lived under a rock, was surprised to learn that aircraft delivery figures were quite low in Q1 of 2024 for Boeing. Here's how low and which aircraft types they delivered in the first 90 days of the year.
Boeing Delivers Only 83 Planes in Q1 2024
That's right, only 83 planes were signed off from Boeing's assembly lines and delivered to the client. That is a particularly low figure, considered it combines 3 months of work in it. Splitting evenly those 83 planes it means that each month only little more than 27 planes were delivered. That is quite an issue as plane manufacturers get paid most of the agreed sum upon delivery of the jets and not in the down payment. Fewer planes delivered means less cash flow from commercial aircraft production.
As for the drill down of which planes were delivered, here it is:
- 67 – 737s
- 3 – 767s
- 13 – 787s
These figures don't hold up too well against what Airbus published. Boeing's main competitor has delivered in the same time frame 142 planes. That is in the order of 50% more planes delivered than the American manufacturer. Also we could consider this poor performance the last nail in the coffin for Dave Calhoun's departure from the company.
The main aircraft type holding Boeing back is clearly the Boeing 737 MAX with its quality assurance issues and the difficulties faced in certifying the 7 and 10 variants.
How Do The Numbers Stack Up Against 2023's Q1?
Needless to say the picture isn't a rosey one. Even comparing numbers to 2023 it is very clear how Boeing is struggling at the moment in its current state. Here's a quick overview on where deliveries were a year ago and where they are now:
| AC Family | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| 737 | 113 | 67 |
| 747 | 1 | 0 |
| 767 | 1 | 3 |
| 777 | 4 | 0 |
| 787 | 11 | 13 |
The 737 accounts for the largest drop in deliveries. After the quality assurance mishaps the production has slowed down significantly. We'll see if and when they pick up again. There are many 737-thirsty airlines out there who won't be particularly happy with this data. The first to come to mind is Ryanair, who's Micheal O'Leary was quite outspoken of how they are not happy of receiving less planes than anticipated.
Why Civil Aviation Needs Boeing To Get Out Of This Slump
The entire aviation industry needs Boeing to pick itself up. A weak Boeing is an issue for everyone. It is unthinkable to have an industry as big as air transport virtually monopolised by one aircraft manufacturer. Competition keeps the manufacturers in check and also pushes the boundaries of innovation further and further.
That is why we have been seeing continued airline orders for Boeing planes, although they are well aware of current issues. All that is left for us enthusiasts to do is hope that the new management is capable of sorting all the issues out and return to more calm and smooth sailing.
Other Boeing Delivery Performance Insight Posts
- 2025 Q4 Deliveries + Yearly Recap
- 2025 Q1 Deliveries
- 2024 Q2 Deliveries
- 2024 Q3 Deliveries
- 2024 Q4 + Yearly
- Boeing Delivery Tracker Page
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