Boeing Faces Further Delays in 737 Max Deliveries, Compounding Challenges

Boeing Co. has notified some 737 Max customers in recent weeks that aircraft due for delivery in 2025 and 2026 face additional delays, another reminder that production of its cash-cow jetliner faces a long road to recovery.

The planemaker has cautioned that delivery timelines continue to slip by three to six months on top of already-late handovers, according to people familiar with the matter. In some instances, deliveries scheduled for next year have spilled into 2026, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the discussions are confidential.

Company Response and Industry Context:

A Boeing spokeswoman declined to comment, noting that the company is in a quiet period ahead of its July 31 earnings release.

Delays have become the norm in aerospace as planemakers and engine manufacturers grapple with disrupted shipments of parts and raw materials, worker turnover, and other market turmoil still lingering from the Covid pandemic. The shortage of new jets is expected to be a hot topic when the Farnborough International Airshow kicks off on July 22, a departure from the splashy sales announcements that typically dominate trade expos.

Airbus Also Facing Delays:

Airbus SE has also been warning airlines of potential delays over the next two years, Bloomberg reported last month, after alerting investors that it would miss its 2024 target for deliveries.

The constraints have forced airlines to dial back expansion plans and spurred a run on used jets that typically would be headed for desert storage yards.

Customer Frustrations and Market Impact:

One frustrated customer, Steven Udvar-Hazy, the co-founder of Air Lease Corp., noted that nearly half the Boeing and Airbus aircraft that the lessor was due to receive in the first quarter never arrived.

“And the aircraft that did deliver were all late,” he said during a May earnings call. “I repeat, the aircraft that did deliver were all late.”

Production and Regulatory Hurdles:

Boeing has curbed its production following a harrowing near-catastrophe involving a 737 Max jetliner in January. The Federal Aviation Administration won’t allow Boeing to hike output of its narrowbody beyond a 38-jet monthly pace until it’s convinced quality controls are in place and the supply chain can keep pace.

Output has risen a little at the US planemaker, which delivered its highest monthly total in June since the January incident. Increased deliveries are vital for Boeing to bolster finances that have been battered by a production slowdown as it retrained workers and stepped up supplier inspections.