Boeing Achieves 2023 Plane Delivery Target Amid Blockbuster Sales Year

Boeing met its airliner delivery targets and recorded a 70% increase in annual net orders in 2023, reflecting a year of record sales for aircraft manufacturers.

The American manufacturer published its end-of-year figures on Tuesday, as it deals with the consequences of an accident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9, which lost a fuselage panel in flight last week.

Boeing delivered 528 aircraft in 2023 and recorded 1,314 net new orders after accounting for cancellations, compared to 480 deliveries and 774 net new orders in 2022.

It delivered 396 narrow-body 737 planes last year, meeting its revised target of at least 375 single-aisle planes, but short of the original target of 400 to 450 planes.

The target was downgraded in October after a manufacturing defect at fuselage supplier Spirit AeroSystems forced it to inspect the planes, slowing deliveries.

Boeing delivered 73,787 Dreamliners in 2023, meeting its goal of 70 to 80 aircraft.

Boeing’s orders and deliveries are expected to be dwarfed by those of European rival Airbus, which broke industry records for gross and net orders and exceeded its 2023 delivery target of 720 planes with deliveries in the mid-to-late 730, sources told Reuters last week.

Boeing won 1,456 gross orders for 2023, or 1,576 net orders after accounting adjustments.

In December, the company recorded 371 gross orders, including the highest monthly sales ever for the 737 MAX with 301 aircraft. Spanish airline Air Europa has canceled a reservation for two Dreamliners.

The company delivered 44 737 MAXs and one older 737NG model last month. It also delivered seven 767s, four 777 freighters and 11 787s.

Its order book increased from 5,324 to 5,626.

Airbus is expected to announce its orders and deliveries on Thursday.

Boeing executives are expected to set new targets for 2024 alongside the company’s fourth-quarter earnings release on Jan. 31.