*

Boeing ( BA ) delivered 41 jets in March, up from 29 during the

same

period a year ago

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Boeing ( BA ) booked 163 net orders in March, including 88 for

737 MAX

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Boeing's ( BA ) Q1 deliveries total 130 jets, including 104 of

737 MAX

By Dan Catchpole

SEATTLE, April 8 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) delivered 41

jets in March, up from 29 during the same month a year ago, the

company announced Tuesday, though the figure was slightly lower

than the 45 handed over in January and 44 in February.

Through the first three months of the year, Boeing ( BA ) delivered 130

jets, including 104 of its best-selling 737 MAX. That is up from

just 83 jet deliveries, including 66 MAXs, during the first

quarter of 2024.

Boeing's ( BA ) production and deliveries have been hampered in the

last year by a labor strike, regulatory scrutiny and supply

chain bottlenecks.

An emerging trade war could further disrupt production. Key

Boeing ( BA ) components supplier Howmet Aerospace ( HWM ) highlighted

the risk when it told customers that tariffs implemented by U.S.

President Donald Trump could force it to halt some shipments.

The company's European rival Airbus delivered 71

airplanes in March and 136 jets during the first three months of

the year. A shortage of jet engines from GE and Safran

joint venture CFM International constrained deliveries,

according to Airbus.

Aircraft deliveries are closely tracked by Wall Street

because planemakers collect the majority of their payment when

they hand over jets to customers. Years of crises and production

problems have left Boeing ( BA ) heavily saddled with debt, and it

needs to increase deliveries to bring in more cash.

Boeing ( BA ) had its busiest month of the year so far for new

orders in March, booking 163 net orders, including 192 gross

orders and 29 cancellations.

Of the orders, 88 were for 737 MAX aircraft, including 50

from Singapore-based leasing company BOC Aviation ( BCVVF ), 17

for Japan Airlines ( JPNRF ) and 21 from unidentified customers.

It also received orders for 11 777 freighters, including eight

for FedEx ( FDX ), as well as 40 777X orders - 20 for Korean Air

Lines and 20 for unidentified customers. Boeing ( BA ) also

recorded 53 787 orders, including 20 from Korean Air and 33 from

unidentified customers.

Through the first three months of the year, Boeing ( BA ) has

booked 241 new orders. Adjusted for cancellations and

conversions, Boeing ( BA ) recorded 204 net orders, increasing its

order backlog to 5,648.