Airbus and Boeing had mixed fortunes in terms of Orders and Deliveries in May 2023, with both manufacturers claiming a “win” for the month.
Airbus recovering deliveries
In May 2023, the European plane maker delivered 63 aircraft, the highest number so far in 2023, alluding to an ever-recovering supply chain.
Deliveries throughout the month were largely dominated by the Airbus A320neo aircraft family, namely the A320neo and A321neo. Airbus delivered respectively 19 and 32 aircraft of the type. Other deliveries include three Airbus A220s, one each to airBaltic, Air France, and Breeze Airways, as well as three A330-900neos, including ITA Airways’ (via Aircraft Lease Corporation (ALC) first wide-body of the type.
The plane maker also handed over a single A330 MRTT tanker to the United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF).
Airbus also delivered three A350-900 and two Airbus A350-1000s, including one A350-1000 to Qatar Airways. The manufacturer reinstated the carrier’s orders in February 2023, following the two sides solving their dispute regarding the premature degradation of the Airbus A350’s paint surface with a settlement out of court.
In terms of orders, they were few and far between, with the European Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) receiving only 17 orders: 16 for the A320neo, including nine from an undisclosed customer, and another undisclosed customer ordering one A330-900neo.
While year-to-date (YTD) net orders, following cancelations, is only 144 aircraft so far, the fact that Airbus managed to deliver the highest monthly number of aircraft could be seen as a positive sign that its supply chain is slowly recovering. Previous statements by the manufacturer indicated that it expects the situation to improve in the second half of the year, as the 720 expected deliveries in 2023 will be more backloaded.
Airbus has so far delivered 244 aircraft YTD.
Boeing staying ahead commercially
While Boeing is now counting its fifth manufacturing problem that has temporarily slowed deliveries in 2023, namely two issues with the 737 MAX, one with the 767, and two with the 787, the manufacturer’s YTD deliveries are not that far behind Airbus. Yet on the sales front, Boeing continues to stay in front of the European OEM.
Throughout May 2023, Boeing delivered 50 aircraft, 35 of which were the 737 MAX. Southwest Airlines took delivery of 11 aircraft of the type, while Ryanair and United Airlines took in six each. Another narrow-body, the P8 Poseidon, based on the 737 NG, was delivered to the South Korean military. On the wide-body aircraft front, airlines took delivery of eight 787, three 767F, and three 777Fs.
Boeing’s filings show two 787s delivered to lessors, namely AerCap and ALC. Cross-referenced with ch-aviation.com data, these could be two 787-9s, one registered as HL8389 and delivered to South Korea’s Air Premia, while the other is registered as ET-AYD, currently flying with Ethiopian Airlines.
Overall, YTD deliveries are 206 aircraft, versus Airbus’ 244.
In terms of orders, Boeing added a large 737 MAX order for 59 aircraft from an unidentified customer. Another unidentified customer purchased eight 787-9s, while Papua New Guinea’s Air Niugini signed up for a pair of Boeing 787s.
In total, Boeing has booked orders for 223 aircraft YTD, versus Airbus’ 144.