Boeing deliveries of new airline jets slumped in the third quarter as the company struggled with production problems that are cutting into its ability to generate cash.
Boeing said Tuesday that it delivered 27 planes in September, including 15 of its best-seller, the 737 Max.
That was far behind European rival Airbus, which delivered 55 planes last month. It brought the Arlington, Virginia, company’s quarterly total to 105 deliveries, down from 112 in the same period last year.
Boeing gets the largest share of the purchase price when it delivers planes, so the dip hurts cash flow. The pace of Max deliveries is also falling short of the company’s goal of producing 38 new 737s per month.
Production and deliveries of the Max and the 787 Dreamliner have been affected by production flaws, notably at Spirit AeroSystems, which builds the fuselages for many Boeing planes. In the most recent example, the companies said in August that improperly drilled fastener holes would delay deliveries of 737s.
Despite the production stumbles, strong demand from airlines such as United continued to bolster orders for new Boeing jets. The company said that after cancelations it received orders for 214 planes in September.
Boeing’s orders beat Airbus, which said Monday that it took 23 net new orders in September.
Boeing is scheduled to report third-quarter financial results on Oct. 25.
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