Despite an ongoing machinists’ strike, Boeing managed to close September with a healthy number of aircraft deliveries for the month, saying it has been able to continue handing over some aircraft with help from non-striking employees.
The aircraft manufacturer delivered 33 jets last month, down from 40 in August.
Boeing’s aircraft production in the Pacific Northwest has been stopped since 13 September, when members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) – a 33,000-strong work group – walked off the job amid a dispute over pay and benefits.
As a result, Boeing’s 737 production in Renton and 767 and 777 production in Everett have stopped. The company continues producing 787s at its non-unionised facility in North Charleston, North Carolina.
IAM members in the Pacific Northwest have a significant hand in delivering 737s, 767s and 777s.
But Boeing says that in September, after the strike started, it continued delivering at least some jets made in the Pacific Northwest using non-striking workers. The company has plenty of already produced 737 Max needing to be delivered.
Boeing declines to say how many of its September deliveries were handed over after the strike began on 13 September. Analysts widely believe Boeing cannot maintain anything close to a normal delivery pace while the strike continues.
The 33 jets Boeing delivered in September included 27 737 Max, one 737NG-based P-8 military surveillance jet, one 767-300 Freighter and four 787s.
Boeing also logged new orders for 65 jets during September, including for 54 737s and 11 777s. The company does not name customers, but the deals likely include an order from the leasing arm of China Development Bank, which last month disclosed plans to order 50 737 Max 8s.
The airframer lost no orders to cancellations in September, though its backlog did decline by 66 jets due to accounting adjustments. The company moved those orders – which remain contracted – from its backlog to an accounting bucket reserved for deals it suspects might not close, for reasons that can include the financial condition of buyers.
The activity brought Boeing’s backlog at end-September to 5,456 jets (including 4,137 737 Max), down from a 5,490-strong backlog at the end of August.
