Boeing's 737 deliveries rise in November

Bengaluru

BOEING Co delivered 61 of its best-selling 737 single-aisle aircraft in November, up from 50 a year earlier, suggesting that the planemaker may be finally moving past supplier problems that have dented production.

Total deliveries for the first 11 months of 2018 rose to 704 from 680 in the same period a year earlier.

Boeing expects to deliver 810-815 planes in 2018.

The company has been striving to overcome production bottlenecks stemming from delays in the delivery of fuselages and engines from its suppliers.

Investors and analysts closely watch the number of planes Boeing turns over to airlines and leasing firms for cues on the company's cash flow and efficiency.

Airbus said last week it had delivered 673 aircraft up to the end of November, leaving 109 aircraft still to be delivered in December to reach a core target of 782 deliveries.

Boeing delivered a total of 79 aircraft in November.

Chief financial officer Greg Smith said last month that deliveries would rebound in the last two months of the year despite supply delays in engines and other components.

The company's deliveries could take a hit if Indonesia's Lion Air decides to cancel orders for Boeing's 737 MAX jets following a crash that killed 189 people in October.

Lion Air, a privately owned budget airline, has 190 Boeing jets worth US$22 billion at list prices waiting to be delivered, on top of 197 already taken, making it one of the US manufacturer's biggest export customers. REUTERS