NEW YORK: Boeing delivered a record number of planes in 2014 as the world’s largest jetmaker accelerated production to surpass its goal for the 787 Dreamliner.
The total rose 12 percent from 2013 to 723 planes, boosted by deliveries of its 787 model, the Chicago-based company said in a statement. Boeing had said it expected to hand over 715 to 725 jets. Dreamliner deliveries rose 75 percent to 114, exceeding the company’s forecast of 110.
Rising deliveries are critical as Boeing looks to convert its sizable backlog into steady revenue streams, particularly on the money-losing Dreamliner, since the company receives payments when customers accept planes. Boeing said it booked 1,432 net orders, an increase of 6 percent from 2013.
Boeing, benefiting as carriers upgrade their fleets amid rising global air travel, is set to retain its position as the world’s largest planemaker, edging out Airbus Group for the third consecutive year. The Toulouse, France-based company is poised to announce its 2014 results next week.
Boeing has boosted Dreamliner output as it looks to increase production efficiency and turn a profit on the jet, which entered service in 2011 after a three-year delay. The plane, the first made chiefly of composite materials, has been plagued by development delays, including supply chain disruptions. As of last month, Boeing was awaiting delivery of luxury seats to finish work on a number of 787s.
Etihad Airways took delivery Dec. 31 of the first of 71 Dreamliners the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has on order.
Boeing delivered 485 of its top-selling 737s as the company attempts to surpass Airbus’s annual narrow-body total for the first time since 2002.
