Boeing reports more 737 Max cancellations
as airlines prepare to return the plane to service
Leslie Josephs, TUE, DEC 8 2020
* Boeing’s backlog again declined as customers
canceled more 737 Max planes.
* Airlines are readying the planes for commercial
service again after a 20-month grounding.
* The coronavirus pandemic has hurt demand
for new planes.
Boeing on Tuesday said it logged more cancellations than
orders for its 737 Max plane last month, just as carriers are
preparing to return the jets to service following two deadly
crashes.
U.S. and Brazilian officials last month cleared the planes to fly
again after a 20-month grounding following crashes of nearly
new Max jets in 2018 and 2019 that killed all 346 people on
the two flights.
Boeing said customers including Virgin Australia and lessor
Air Lease canceled orders for 88 Max planes. Virgin Australia,
however, changed its order to include 25 of the 737 Max 10,
a larger model, which it expects will be delivered starting in
mid-2023.
Brazilian carrier Gol is set to become the first airline to fly
the Max commercially again since they were grounded.
The airline, one of the largest Max customers with 95 planes
on order, plans to start Max flights on Wednesday from its
Sao Paulo hub, it said late Monday.
American Airlines is on track to become the first U.S. carrier
to resume commercial flights with the upgraded Max on
Dec. 29 with first routes between Miami and New York’s
LaGuardia Airport.
Boeing’s backlog in November stands at 4,240 planes
from 4,275 a month earlier.
The company said it delivered seven aircraft during the
month, bringing its deliveries in the first 11 months of the
year to 118 compared with 345 during the first 11 months
of 2019.
The manufacturer and its chief rival Airbus have each
been hit by the coronavirus crisis as many customers
opt to defer deliveries or put off new purchases.
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