Sept 10 (Reuters) - Boeing ( BA ) said on Tuesday it

delivered 40 commercial jets in August, up five from the same

month in 2023 when it struggled with a manufacturing defect on

its 737 MAX, as the U.S. planemaker eyes higher output under new

CEO Kelly Ortberg.

Boeing ( BA ) has pledged to boost production of its strongest

selling jet, the MAX, to 38 per month by year's end.

But the planemaker faces obstacles such as a possible strike

as early as Friday by more than 32,000 Seattle-area and Portland

factory workers who vote on a new deal Sept. 12.

The U.S. planemaker is operating a slower assembly line

since a Jan. 5 in-flight blowout of a door plug on a 737 MAX 9

jet that heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Boeing ( BA ) handed over 32 MAX jets to customers last month,

including nine deliveries to customers in China, the most since

December 2019.

Boeing ( BA ) delivered 43 commercial jets in July, including 31

MAX jets.

Investors closely watch delivery numbers, as airplane makers

receive the majority of payment for an aircraft when it is

transferred to a customer.

After adjustments to reflect the backlog, Boeing ( BA ) reported

adjusted net orders for the month of 24.

That brought Boeing's ( BA ) gross order total so far this year

through August 31 to 250. After removing cancellations and

conversions, Boeing ( BA ) posted a net total of 207 orders since the

start of 2024.

Following further accounting adjustments, Boeing ( BA ) reported

adjusted net orders of 122 airplanes so far this year.

Year to date through August 31, Boeing ( BA ) delivered 258

airplanes, including 198 MAX jets.

European rival Airbus said last week it had

delivered 47 aircraft in August, down from 77 in July, to reach

447 so far this year.