UPS order for cargo planes helps boost Boeing's sales book

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — UPS is delivering for Boeing, helping boost the aircraft maker's August sales numbers with an order for cargo planes.

Boeing said Tuesday that it took orders for 26 planes net last month, with the biggest being a United Parcel Service Inc. order for eight freighters. Arlington-based Boeing also took orders for 13 more 737 Max planes, including two for American Airlines.

European rival Airbus recorded no new orders in August and canceled orders for 19 A350 jets by Qatar Airways because of a running dispute over the quality of the fuselage surfaces.

Boeing delivered 35 planes last month, an important source of cash, compared to 39 by Airbus.

Two of the Boeing deliveries were 787s — the model that Boeing couldn't deliver most of the last two years because of production flaws — to Germany's Lufthansa and Dutch national carrier KLM.

The official August tally did not include two 787s released to American Airlines because the planes need to undergo more customization work, a Boeing spokesman said.

U.S. regulators approved Boeing's changes to address production problems with the 787 in late July.

Boeing's deliveries included 27 Max jets last month, including eight to Southwest Airlines.

Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr called the pace of deliveries “weak," but said orders were strong for the usually slow August period.