Boeing

Boeing’s deliveries slow down in October

The difference between October and August and September could be explained by the 737 shadow factory shutting down at the end of Q3.

Photo: Boeing

Boeing has unveiled its October 2025 orders and deliveries, with the planemaker’s delivery numbers stalling for a bit since August and September were more fruitful in terms of aircraft handovers to customers.

On November 11, Boeing released its latest orders and deliveries report, showcasing that during the month, it had delivered 53 aircraft, including two KC-46 Pegasus tankers, based on the 767, to the United States Air Force (USAF) and one P-8 Poseidon to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

During the month, commercial aircraft deliveries numbered 50: 39 737 MAX, one 767F to FedEx and UPS each, two 777F, four 787-9, including Lufthansa’s third Allegris-equipped 787-9, and three 787-10s, one of which was also All Nippon Airways’ 10th 787-10.

However, in August and September, Boeing’s deliveries numbered 57 and 55 aircraft, or four and two more than in October, respectively.

Jesus Malave, the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Boeing, offered a hint as to why that was the case during the planemaker’s Q3 earnings call. “The quarter ended with approximately [five] 737-8s built prior to 2023, down 15 from the second quarter,” he said, adding that the manufacturer shut down its 737 MAX shadow factory after it had completed reworking the quintet in Q3, which ended on September 30.

Chinese airlines welcomed six 737 MAX aircraft in both August and September (12 total), compared to only three in October.

Brian West, the now-former CFO of Boeing, who Malave replaced on August 15, said during the company’s Q2 earnings call that the 737 MAXs built before 2023 were “for customers in China.”

Year-to-date (YTD) deliveries now number 493 aircraft. During the first 10 months of 2024, Boeing had delivered 305 aircraft, ending the year with 348 deliveries. The numbers at the tail end of the year had been affected by the 52-day strike by its machinists, which affected its facilities in Washington state, where the planemaker assembles 737, 767, and 777 aircraft.

In terms of orders, Boeing booked 15 gross orders. TUI added another six 737 MAXs to its backlog, while two undisclosed customers added two 737 MAX and seven 787-9s. At the end of October, the manufacturer’s YTD orders were 836 aircraft, literally half of which (418) had been 737 MAXs.

Customers also added 321 orders for the 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10, as well as 13 for the 777F and 84 777X aircraft YTD. Boeing’s unfilled orders now number 6,169 aircraft, including, for some reason, five 777-300ERs. The number does not include the KC-46 Pegasus or the P-8 Poseidon.

In comparison, in October, Airbus delivered 78 aircraft, ending the first 10 months of 2025 with 585 deliveries. Its gross orders were 722 aircraft, including 112 in October.