European Airbus A320 all-time deliveries top US Boeing 737

NEW YORK: The Airbus A320 has overtaken the Boeing 737, the US aviation giant’s single-aisle legacy aircraft, in terms of all-time deliveries for the first time, according to figures released Tuesday.

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Boeing’s latest figures show it delivered 40 737 MAX planes in September, taking deliveries to 12,254 since the 1968 introduction of the 737.

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Through the end of September, Airbus had delivered 12,257 of its single-aisle flagship, which first went into service in 1988 and is now the most purchased plane ever.

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SAFETY AND QUALITY CONTROL

The eclipsing of Boeing by the European company in terms of commercial deliveries reflects the lingering effects of Boeing’s myriad safety and quality control problems of recent years, including a 20-month grounding of the jet following two 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that claimed 346 lives.

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More recently, federal officials have capped MAX production at 38 per month following a January 2024 Alaska Airlines emergency landing due to a window panel that blew out mid-flight.

Boeing has modified operations and instituted additional safety training under close oversight by air safety regulators. Company officials expect to be approved to produce 42 MAX planes monthly by the end of 2025.

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Both Boeing and Airbus have copious order books of planes from airlines eager to grow and replace their fleets.

The turnaround on the orders has been a persistent challenge in recent years due to supply chain difficulties, with Boeing also facing the heavier scrutiny of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Boeing delivered 55 jets in all in September, including seven 787 Dreamliner planes, three 777s and four 767s.

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The US company delivered 160 jets for the third quarter, taking its total up to 440 for 2025 thus far. Both figures are above the 2024 levels, reflecting a faster pace as the company has made changes.