Boeing Commercial Airplanes sold 82 aircraft in February and logged 51 cancellations, marking the first time since November 2019 that monthly sales outpaced scrapped orders.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to weigh on sales of new planes as airlines largely try to conserve cash wherever they can. Some carriers, however, are starting to prepare for a recovery in travel demand by buying new planes.
Boeing’s February sales included 25 Boeing 737 Max planes to United Airlines and 27 KC-46 tankers. The Chicago-based aircraft manufacturer posted 51 cancellations, including 32 Max planes. Singapore Airlines replaced an order for 19 787-10 Dreamliners with one for 11 777X jets, Boeing’s long-delayed new plane. The company expects that twin-aisle, long-range jet to enter commercial service in late 2023.
Boeing’s backlog now stands at 4,041 planes. Boeing delivered 22 aircraft last month, including 18 737 Max planes. The Federal Aviation Administration in November cleared the jets to fly again after a 20-month grounding that followed two deadly crashes. Most other aviation regulators have followed suit, allowing Boeing to resume deliveries of the more than 3,000 Max planes it has had on backorder.
