Boeing orders dip in April; Berlin Air Show may help May

By Theresa Sheehan, Econoday Economist
May 10, 2022

Boeing reported a total of 46 orders for aircraft in April. Of these, 9 were from North American buyers, 6 from foreign buyers, and 31 from unidentified buyers which are typically for military aircraft. The total was down 7 from the 53 orders in March. April aren’t usually strong months for aircraft orders as many potential buyers wait for the spring and summer air expos. The next is the Berlin Air Show on May 12-17. Given the war in Ukraine, it opens up the possibility of a large number of military orders in the near future.

For 2022 to-date, Boeing has received gross new orders of 213. However, some cancellations are still coming in as the commercial air industry tries to assess the necessary size of their fleets in the post-pandemic world and with the renewed emphasis on addressing climate change. Year-to-date net of cancellations is for 157 new orders.

The decrease in orders in April suggests that the transportation component in the advance report on new orders for durable goods will be softer. However, there may be some seasonal adjustment factors for orders that would minimize that when the numbers are released at 8:30 Et on Wednesday, May 25 at 8:30 ET.