Boeing handed over 348 airplanes in 2024, about a third fewer than it did a year earlier as the aerospace giant struggled with a crisis after a midair door panel blowout a year ago and a machinist strike in the fall that halted production. The tally widened the delivery gap with Boeing’s chief rival, Airbus, which gave 766 jetliners to customers last year, the most since 2019, though both companies are facing supply chain strains that have slowed production and fulfillment of their otherwise robust backlogs. In December, Boeing delivered 30 airplanes as it restarted production of its bestselling 737 Max planes after the nearly eight-week machinist strike ended the month before. Deliveries are key for manufacturers because it is when customers pay the bulk of an airplane’s price. A shortage of aircraft from suppliers has driven up lease rates, with rentals expected to hit records this year, aviation data firm IBA said in a report this…
