While Airbus enjoyed a fairly successful month commercially and at its factories, its main competitor Boeing struggled in terms of aircraft orders and deliveries compared to the previous month.
Airbus steadily growing its business
The Toulouse-based Airbus delivered 60 aircraft to 38 different customers throughout October 2022, posting a slight improvement with five more aircraft delivered compared to September 2022.
The majority of these jets were narrow-body aircraft, consisting of five A220s, 21 A320neos, and 26 A321neos. The remaining deliveries were a single A330-300, a pair of A330-900neos, four A350-900s, and one A350-1000, the latter heading to the Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific.
One of the A350-900s was the first of the type for Taiwan-based STARLUX Airlines, making it the airline’s first large wide-body aircraft. It joined four smaller A330neos that the airline has had since February 2022.
Meanwhile, the European planemaker and four customers, which include unnamed airlines, have agreed to 177 firm orders for various narrow-body aircraft, including the A220, the A320neo, and the A321neo. No wide-body jet orders were recorded by the manufacturer throughout the month, which was two fewer compared to September 2022. Air Cote D’Ivoire subsequently ordered two Airbus A330neo aircraft.
Fewer Boeing deliveries
Boeing, meanwhile, has seen fewer deliveries, which was offset by more orders from customers compared to the month prior, including more than 100 orders for the 737 MAX.
In total, the US manufacturer assembled and delivered 35 aircraft, 16 fewer than in September 2022. The most popular of Boeing’s jets for airlines was the Boeing 737 MAX, with 22 single-aisle jets reaching customers’ hubs in October 2022.
Meanwhile, apart from two military aircraft, a P-8 Poseidon delivered to New Zealand and a KC-46 delivered to the United States Air Force (USAF), the aircraft builder transferred 10 wide-body jets, including a 747-8F to Atlas Air. The latest ‘Queen of The Skies’ is one of the last 747s to be built by Boeing, with the company indicating that it has two aircraft remaining in its backlog.
Still, its backlog was reinforced with 122 new orders compared to 96 orders in September 2022. Notably, Alaska Airlines and the International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, and others, have signed up for 52 and 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, respectively. American Airlines (A1G) (AAL), meanwhile, ordered a single 737 MAX.
On the wide-body aircraft front, an unidentified customer – or customers – ordered three of the same aircraft, while another signed up for 10 Dreamliners.
Boeing also managed to secure orders for six freighters, one 767-300F going to FedEx, while five 777F aircraft will be headed for Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), where Emirates is based. The order for five Triple Sevens was announced on November 8, 2022, but was included in the October 2022 order report.