On Tuesday, January 14, Boeing is expected to confirm what analysts are already regretting: a sharp drop in its sales figures for 2024. The American aircraft manufacturer's black year will be confirmed in its sales figures in the coming hours, as the number of 340 aircraft is expected to appear, far from the 528 aircraft delivered in 2023. Over the twelve months of the year, Boeing had to endure the misfortune of a door ripped off in mid-flight without four bolts, a seven-week strike, and a crash in South Korea, resulting in the death of 181 people on board.
The shutdown of factories near Seattle, Washington, penalized Boeing by causing it to fall considerably behind schedule and greatly weakening its finances, which were already in the red. For its part, Airbus delivered 766 aircraft, twice as many as the American. Boeing has already been familiar with such figures, since in 2018, the aircraft manufacturer had a record year with 806 aircraft delivered, just before two fatal accidents of its 737 Max caused the crisis that continues today. At the same time, Boeing has still not managed to certify its 777X, and the long-haul aircraft has let Airbus take the spotlight with its A350, which has notably won the heart of Emirates, replacing the 777s and A380s.
Return to a strong pace in 2025?
In 2025, with its new CEO Kelly Ortberg, Boeing wants to accelerate the pace, even if this objective cannot be guaranteed, whether in terms of workforce or image: Boeing's problem has come in particular from its strict interest in growth and maintaining deadlines, even if it neglects safety. By May, Boeing wants to deliver 38 737 Max planes per month, reported Air Current, a specialist website, quoted by The Guardian. A "very optimistic" rate estimate, Bernstein analysts told the British newspaper, who do not expect Boeing to be able to reach this rate before July. "Boeing has not yet demonstrated that it is on the road to recovery," they wrote.
Despite its overwhelming lead, Airbus remains limited in its deliveries, due to supply chain management problems. By delivering 766 aircraft, the company missed its target of 770 aircraft during the year, which it had already reduced last June. Its general manager of the commercial aircraft division, Christian Scherer, had described the year as "good" despite a "difficult environment". To reassure investors, he added that Airbus expected to beat its annual production record in the future, a volume of 863 units, which the European recorded during 2019. With or without Boeing in difficulty?
Source: The Guardian
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