In the context of the escalating Sino-US trade war, Boeing CEO David Calhoun has confirmed that China has stopped receiving Boeing airplanes and indicated that some planes originally scheduled for delivery to China will be redirected to other airlines.
Calhoun revealed this information during an interview with CNBC on the 23rd. He said, “Due to tariff factors, they have essentially stopped receiving Boeing aircraft.”
Calhoun stated that several Boeing 737 Max planes, which were ready for delivery in China, have already been flown back to the United States. Some planes that were initially scheduled for delivery to China, as well as those planned for production later this year for China, will be redirected to other customers.
He remarked, “There are many customers outside looking for 737 Max airplanes. We won’t wait too long because I can’t let this situation affect the company’s recovery.”
Calhoun made these remarks following the release of the first-quarter earnings report.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Boeing said that for the three months ending March 31, the company used $2.3 billion in free cash flow as it ramped up aircraft production. This figure was better than the $3.4 billion predicted by analysts in data compiled by Bloomberg. The adjusted per-share loss was 49 cents, marking the smallest loss in over a year.
Calhoun referred to 2025 as “our turning point year” and said the company is on track to increase the production rate of the 737 Max, a major profit source, to the limit of 38 planes per month set by U.S. regulators within the coming months.