Boeing’s order book shrinks as struggling buyers cancel 737s

By Julie Johnsson / Bloomberg News

The Boeing Co. lost orders for 150 of its beleaguered 737 Max aircraft last month as travel bookings plunged because of the COVID-19 pandemic, squeezing airlines and aircraft lessors.

Half the cancellations were previously announced by Avolon Holdings, the world’s No. 3 jet lessor. In addition, Brazil’s Gol Linhas Aereas Inteligentes trimmed 34 planes from an earlier deal. Smartwings Slovakia SRO scrapped orders for five aircraft, while unidentified customers opted out of 35 sales of the Max, which has been grounded for more than year after two fatal crashes.

The tally, along with results posted by Airbus, provide the first glimpse of the toll on the manufacturers from an unprecedented halt to air travel as borders closed, non-critical businesses shuttered and consumers were ordered to head indoors. The International Air Travel Association, an airline trade group, estimated that carriers will lose $314 billion this year because of the outbreak, a 25% jump from its previous forecast.

While Boeing still has unfilled orders for 5,049 planes, “given COVID-19 pressures, additional deferrals/cancellations are likely in coming months,” Cowen analyst Cai von Rumohr said in a note to clients Tuesday.

Boeing’s order book for the Renton-built Max is shrinking as the plane maker works with global regulators to clear its best-selling jetliner to resume commercial flight by midyear. The company couldn’t face worse timing for the comeback effort, with airlines that until recently had clamored for the single-aisle aircraft now fighting for their financial lives.

The plane maker suspended output of the Max in January and plans to slowly restart manufacturing soon to stress-test its supply chain and avoid flooding the market with unneeded planes. The long grounding may have an unexpected benefit for some cash-strapped customers. If they exercise a clause that allows them to walk away from an order after a 12-month delay, Boeing is typically obligated to refund any advance payments.

“We are working closely with our customers, many of whom are facing significant financial pressures, to review their fleet plans and make adjustments where appropriate,” Boeing said in a statement Tuesday. “At the same time, Boeing continues to adjust its order book to adapt to lower-than-planned 737 Max production in the near term.”

Shares of Boeing stock fell 4.3% to $141, erasing gains earlier in the session as the broader market rallied. Boeing had tumbled 55% this year through Monday, more than doubling the decline of a Standard & Poor’s index of industrial companies.

In all, the backlog of 737 orders shrank by 314 jets in the first quarter, according to Boeing’s website. Of those, 191 were sales canceled or converted into orders for other jets made by the company. Another 141 were taken off the books under an accounting measure aimed at measuring impaired orders, although the contracts remain intact. Also, Boeing won 18 orders for a military version of the 737.

While demand for twin-aisle aircraft has been particularly hard hit as the viral outbreak saps long-range travel demand, Boeing still managed to garner 29 orders for its carbon-fiber 787 in the first quarter. That included 12 firm sales to Japan’s All Nippon Airways last month.

Boeing recorded 49 total orders in the first quarter and 50 deliveries. The Chicago-based company said “logistical challenges” continue to hamper shipments, with customers unable to visit the U.S. to take ownership because of the travel restrictions.

But Boeing’s net orders plunged to minus 307 in the quarter, in part because of the accounting adjustment, which includes an assessment of a customer’s financial health and contractual rights.

Airbus recorded 290 net orders and 122 deliveries for the period. While the Toulouse, France-based plane maker said it would pare production by about one-third last week, Boeing hasn’t revealed its updated production plans. Von Rumohr, the Cowen analyst, thinks the U.S. planemaker will cut rates for the 787 and 777 wide-bodies “with potential for a very slow resumption of Max production. Those models are built in Everett.

Bloomberg’s Siddharth Philip contributd to this report.