Boeing delivered 51 commercial aircraft in February 2026, an increase on the 46 jets handed over in January, per Reuters' early-March report of the company's monthly figures. The gain came despite an ongoing seat-related issue on the 787 program that has held some completed widebodies out of customer service.
What is the 787 seat problem?
The issue centers on seats supplied for the 787 that required rework before delivery, and it has lingered into 2026: Reuters noted the seat-related issue continued to affect 787 handovers in February even as total output climbed. Aircraft affected by a supplier-level problem of this kind are typically finished and parked awaiting corrected parts or documentation, which is why the disruption shows up in deliveries rather than in assembly rates.
For travelers the effect is indirect but real. Carriers expecting 787s in the first half of 2026 — for new routes or for cabin retrofits that remove older aircraft from service — can see those plans slip by weeks when a widebody delivery moves. Narrowbody schedules, which carry most of the world's flights, are unaffected by this specific issue.
Related stories: Boeing Out-Delivered Airbus in Q1 2026 for the First Time Since the MAX Crisis · Boeing Delivered 600 Commercial Jets in 2025, Led by 447 737s.
How strong is the 2026 start overall?
The two-month total of 97 deliveries is running ahead of Boeing's early-2025 pace, and the company's order book added to the momentum: per CNBC's February 10, 2026 report, Boeing opened the year with 46 January deliveries — its third-highest January on record — including 38 737s, alongside a heavy January order intake. Airbus, by comparison, delivered an estimated 34 jets in February, per the same Reuters compilation, putting the combined February total near 85 aircraft.
At those rates, the industry's constraint is shifting. After years in which engine shortages and certification delays capped output, seat supply has become the visible bottleneck on widebody lines — a reminder that delivery counts depend on hundreds of suppliers, not just the final assembler.
What to watch before the quarter closes
March figures will show whether the 787 seat rework cleared. Boeing's first-quarter total and any revision to 2026 delivery guidance are due in early April, and those numbers will set expectations for summer 2026 schedule planning at carriers waiting on widebodies.