Boeing has secured 303 new orders from customers in May, the sixth-highest monthly figure in its history, Reuters reports, citing company data. The company also completed production of 38 new 737 MAX jets and delivered 45 aircraft in the same period — a feat the US planemaker has reportedly been striving toward for over a year. Rival Airbus delivered 51 aircraft in May, the newswire reports.

Tariff-happy US inspires Boeing orders: The biggest single order in May — Qatar Airways’ order for 160 jets with an option to add 50 more aircraft — was inked during US President Donald Trump’s high-profile tour of the GCC region. The move is seen as part of an emerging trend of attempting to win Washington’s favor amid a simmering tariff war through Boeing orders. For example, Vietnam has also incurred a USD 560 mn loan to back a major Boeing order, in a bid to forge stronger links to US financial and aviation sectors and get a leg-up in tariff negotiations with the US.

IN OTHER AVIATION NEWS- VietJet in talks for 100-jet Airbus order: Vietnamese budget airline VietJet is mulling plans to order an additional 100 A321neo narrow jets from Airbus at the Paris Airshow next week, Bloomberg reports. The acquisition would follow VietJet’s order for 20 A330neo jets last month.

AND- Low-cost Malaysian airline AirAsia is set to order nearly 100 regional jets at the Paris Airshow, with the company currently reviewing whether to order Airbus’ SE A220 or Embraer SA’s E2, indicating a rift between the two manufacturers, Bloomberg reports. Airbus has supplied 240 jets to AirAsia’s fleet, with a further 350 jets in backlog.

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