Boeing started the year on a high note, managing to sell and deliver more aircraft than its European rival Airbus in January 2023, the company said in its monthly orders and deliveries announcement.
Boeing delivered 38 aircraft in total: 35 737 MAX and three 787s. One 787-10 was delivered to Air France-KLM Group (PH-BKK, ending up in KLM’s fleet), Lufthansa received a third 787-9, and a 787-9 went to Qatar Airways. All three Boeing 787 Dreamliners were delivered from the inventory, with PH-BKK first flying in December 2020, Lufthansa’s D-ABPC in August 2019, and Qatar Airways’ A7-BHI in August 2020.
It was not immediately clear how many 737 MAXs were delivered from inventory. The company paused deliveries of the 787 between May 2021 and August 2022 due to multiple production issues related to the aircraft.
Meanwhile, Boeing has also been delivering parked 737 MAX aircraft that were produced and subsequently stored following the type’s grounding in March 2019, when a second fatal crash prompted aviation authorities to suspend the 737 MAX operations.
Throughout January 2023, Boeing finalized orders for 55 aircraft. Japan’s Skymark Airlines ordered four 737 MAX, and so did TUI, while an unidentified customer(s) signed up for 25 jets of the type. Seven 787-10s will be delivered to another unidentified customer(s), while the United States Air Force (USAF) ordered 15 Boeing KC-46 Pegasus aerial refueling tankers.
Neither Boeing nor Airbus has added the huge order from Air India announced on February 14, 2023. The airline, which was privatized by Indian conglomerate Tata Sons in January 2022, ordered a total of 470 aircraft from both manufacturers. Air India signed up for 140 Airbus A320neos, 70 A321neos, and 40 A350s, while Boeing sold 190 aircraft to the Indian full-service carrier. This order consisted of 190 737 MAX-8 and MAX-10 planes, 20 787-9s, and 10 777X-9s. The deal with Boeing also included 70 options: 50 737 MAX and 20 Boeing 787-9 aircraft.