Boeing delivering 1st plane to Chinese airline since 2019

Boeing said Thursday that a 787 Dreamliner plane will be delivered to Juneyao Airlines, the US aviation giant's first commercial delivery to a Chinese carrier since 2019.

The jet departed from Everett, Washington en route to land at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, according to FlightAware.

Boeing has rated China a crucial growth market, but deliveries ceased throughout the lengthy grounding of the 737 MAX following two crashes.

Boeing executives have at times suggested that diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Washington played a role in the pause on deliveries of new jets even after Chinese officials moved to allow MAX planes already in China to resume service.

Boeing Chief Executive David Calhoun said in July that while Boeing is "not dependent" on more China deliveries, the US company was hopeful that it could soon hand new planes to Chinese carriers.

Boeing has some 85 737 MAX jets that already built, but not delivered to designated Chinese carriers.

"We continue to support our customers in China and will be ready to deliver for our customers when that time comes," a Boeing spokesperson said Thursday of the MAX.

Boeing in September forecast that China will need 8,560 new commercial planes through 2042, accounting for 20 percent of the world's airplane demand.