The aircraft manufacturer is still sitting on many undelivered 737 Max and Dreamliners. Now Boeing is giving specific numbers – and a date by which all jets should be with customers.
The past few years have been tough for Boeing. Two Boeing 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people. The model then had to remain on the ground for a long time, in Boeing’s home country of the USA until the end of 2020, in many other countries longer.
At the same time, problems with the production of the 787 began in autumn 2020. Apart from a short phase in spring 2021, the American aircraft manufacturer was not allowed to deliver the Dreamliner until August 2022. Then there was the Corona crisis.
Lots of 737 Max for Chinese customers
During the 737 Max grounding and 787 delivery halt manufacturers park more and more ready-made jets. At times, the 737 Max had around 450 aircraft. The number has now dropped significantly.
“We ended the year with 250 Max in stock,” said Boeing chief financial officer Brian West on Jan. 25 in an analyst call regarding the year 2022. 30 of these 250 aircraft are examples of the not yet certified versions Max 7 and Max 10. “And we had 138 for customers in China,” West explained.
Storage should be empty by the end of 2024
With China and its airlines delaying the return of the Max for a long time, Boeing toyed with the idea in the fall of 2022 to sell the aircraft intended for Chinese customers elsewhere. Mid January 2023 but for the first time once more a Max took off in the Chinese liner servicewhich significantly improved the prospects.
Overall, West said of the parked 737 Max: “We continue to assume that most aircraft from the inventory will be delivered by the end of 2024.” This is also the timeline for the Boeing 787s that have already been produced but have not yet been delivered – according to the CFO, there were 100 by the end of 2022.
Up to five months per Boeing 787
Boeing has fixed the production problems and has been allowed to deliver the 787 once more since August 2022. But this is progressing slowly, as the jets that have already been produced need to be reworked. The whole process from getting the aircraft out of storage to delivery can take up to five months.
