**Boeing Deliveries Lag Behind Amid Prolonged Machinist Strike**

Boeing's aircraft deliveries have seen a noticeable decline through the first nine months of the year, with the company handing over 33 planes in September. This total, however, includes 27 of its popular 737 Max aircraft, marking a slight improvement from the same period last year when only 27 planes were delivered. Despite this, the ongoing machinist strike in the Seattle area, now extending into its fourth week, has cast uncertainty over future deliveries.

As of September, Boeing has delivered a total of 291 aircraft, a significant drop from the 371 planes delivered during the same timeframe in 2023. In comparison, rival Airbus has outpaced Boeing with 447 deliveries through August this year. Last month’s pace was notably driven by substantial orders from carriers like United Airlines, which received five 737 Max aircraft, and Ryanair and Southwest Airlines, which each received three units.

Delivery figures are critical for Boeing’s financial health, given that the bulk of payment from customers is made upon receipt of the aircraft. Amid these operational strains, Boeing has already expended over $8 billion this year. The machinist strike, which commenced on September 13 following the rejection of a tentative agreement with the union, is notably affecting productions at key facilities, particularly in Renton, Washington.

Negotiations have resumed this week between Boeing and the union, although a previous enhanced offer from Boeing was dismissed. Notably, only 10 out of the 27 delivered Max aircraft were handed over after the strike began. Analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu from Jefferies suggests that if the strike concludes in October, Boeing could achieve a production rate of 25 Max jets per month. However, ambitions to increase this production to 38 per month may be postponed by an entire year.

In addition to its 737 Max deliveries, Boeing also handed over four 787 Dreamliner planes in September, produced at its nonunion facility in South Carolina. Throughout the month, the company secured 66 new gross orders for aircraft. Boeing, which will detail the financial repercussions of the strike in its quarterly report on October 23, continues to grapple with past issues, including a significant incident in January involving a near-catastrophe on a new 737 Max 9 due to a missing door plug.

The company's current backlog stands at 5,456 aircraft, emphasizing the scale of its future commitments and the critical impact of ongoing labor disputes and operational disruptions on its production capabilities.