Investing.com -- Boeing (NYSE:BA) has delivered 36 of its Max aircraft so far in the second quarter, including 19 in May and 1 in June, according to estimates from analysts at Barclays.
In a note to clients, the analysts said the deliveries consist of a mix of jets that were produced before and after late 2020, when a mandatory grounding of the plane was lifted. The company's 737 Max passenger airliner -- a cash cow for the firm -- was grounded worldwide between March 2019 and December 2020 in the wake of two deadly crashes.
The analysts added that roughly 40% of the 250 Max planes that are still in inventory are aircraft that have been in storage since the grounding. Many of these are slated to be sent to Chinese carriers and have now been parked for four years on average, the analysts said.
"Of the remaining aircraft that are in inventory (~150 that have come off the line since grounding was lifted), we estimate that ~55% are for North American airlines and ~30% are for Chinese airlines, with ~55% having been parked for more than a year," the Barclays analysts estimated.
Last week, an administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration told Reuters that it would not immediately allow Boeing to raise its 737 Max production as the planemaker addresses recent safety concerns. A dangerous mid-flight door panel blowout in January has led the FAA to increase its scrutiny of the company in recent months, with officials reportedly holding regular meetings with Boeing executives.
Boeing, for its part, has said it plans to boost investments in workforce training and eradicating defects.