Boeing jet deliveries and orders rise from a year earlier

CHICAGO (AP) — Boeing scored a slight edge over Airbus in deliveries of commercial jets and a bigger advantage in new orders in January, thanks to a dispute between Airbus and Qatar Airways.

Boeing said Tuesday that it delivered 32 commercial jetliners in January, a slight improvement over a year earlier despite the ongoing halt in shipments of is 787 Dreamliner jet because of manufacturing problems.

Most of the deliveries were 737 Max jets including seven sent to Ryanair. A year earlier it shipped 26 planes.

Europe's Airbus delivered 30 planes in January.

Deliveries are an important source of cash for aircraft manufacturers, and Chicago-based Boeing has been unable to ship any 787s since last May because of flaws including gaps between fuselage panels.

Boeing also said that it took 75 net new orders last month, its 12th straight month in which orders outnumbered cancellations. Orders have perked up as airlines gain confidence in recovering from the pandemic.

The company said 55 of the orders were for Max jets, including 23 by American and 12 by Southwest — both previously announced by the carriers.

Airbus lost orders for 16 more planes than it gained during January after canceling a Qatar Airways order for 50 A321neo jets. Airbus disclosed Tuesday that the Middle Eastern carrier's order for two A350 jets has been scrapped.

The cancellations stem from a dispute over the quality of paint and surfaces on some Airbus jets. Qatar is suing Airbus in a London court.

Last week, Qatar responded to the order cancellation by announcing that it plans instead to order Boeing 737 Max jets.

Boeing Co. is coming off a $4.3 billion loss in 2021, most of it in the fourth quarter, when it took a $3.5 billion charge related to the 787.