Boeing received net orders for 50 jets in November thanks partly to a new 737 Max commitment from Alaska Airlines and a deal for the latest batch of KC-46A tankers from the US government.
That activity helped bring Boeing’s backlog at the end of last month to 5,499 aircraft, up from 5,462 at the end of October, the airframer said on 10 December.
In addition to the Alaska Airlines and 767-based tanker deals, Boeing says that last month Chinese lessor BOC Aviation ordered 14 737 Max and that an unidentified customer signed for another 15 of the narrowbody jets.
With those deals, Boeing landed gross orders for 49 jets last month, but that figure was offset by two factors that brought the company’s net new orders to 50 aircraft: accounting adjustments added 15 jets to the backlog and a cancellation by European carrier TUI Travel for 14 737 Max.
Boeing says TUI will instead operate the 14 737 Max ordered by BOC Aviation ordered.
Boeing delivered only 13 aircraft in November, a consequence of a three-month production halt at its Pacific Northwest facilities due to a strike by the company’s 33,000-strong machinists’ union.
That strike ended in early November but Boeing did not immediately reboot its production lines. Instead, the manufacturer says it held off while calibrating tools, retraining employees and evaluating safety.
Earlier on 10 December, the company said it had restarted 737 production at Renton and that in the coming days it intended to resume producing 767s and 777s at its Everett facility.
Boeing never stopped producing 787s during the strike, as it assembles those jets at its non-unionised site in North Charleston, South Carolina.
Boeing’s 13 deliveries in November included nine 737 Max, two 777 Freighters and two 787s. By comparison, Boeing delivered 56 jets in November last year.
Boeing’s 5,499-strong backlog includes 4,218 737s, 103 767s, 464 777s and 714 787s.
