Jet-builder Boeing Commercial Airplanes reported its total deliveries rose to 762 during 2015, up 5.4% from the previous year and surpassing its own target figure of 755-760. The total set a new annual record for the company as it starts its 100th year in business.
Rival Airbus SAS has not yet reported its 2015 results, but the OEMs’ public listings of orders and deliveries have given observers the confidence that Chicago-based Boeing will win this annual contest.
Boeing also reported 768 net orders for jets last year, contracts that carry a total value of $112.4 billion at current list prices. Ray Connor, president and CEO of the Boeing Commercial Airplanes, described that as a "balanced backlog that will help ensure a steady stream of deliveries for years to come."
Start-up airlines and replacement aircraft for current fleets are driving the steady demand for new aircraft, which in turn are responding to and expanding market for passenger and air-freight service. According to Randy Tinseth, v.p. – Marketing for BCA, "Global passenger traffic in most key regions is increasing. Our customers continue to perform well in the marketplace, and we'll continue to support them with the industry's best products and services."
The narrow-body 737 series jets continued to be the mainstay of Boeing’s activities, with 495 deliveries and 588 net orders during 2015.
The wide-body 787 Dreamliner reached a new peak for deliveries in 2015, with 135, and Boeing recorded net orders for 71 new 787s. First-time Dreamliner customers during the past year included American Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Oman Air, Scoot, and Vietnam Airlines.
Deliveries for both series, as well as the wide-body 777 series, may be expected to rise further as Boeing prepares to introduce new models for each one (737 MAX, 787-10, and 777X) in coming years. Boeing reported its unfilled orders across all five of its series (737, 747, 767, 777, and 787) totaled 5,795 at the close of 2015.
"The Boeing team has worked hard to achieve strong performance," according to Ray Connor. "Our team did a fantastic job achieving higher deliveries and getting our products to our customers as quickly and efficiently as possible. This will continue to be our focus."
