Chinese halt on Boeing deliveries adds to Trump’s tariff turbulence
April 17, 2025
The US aviation industry is experiencing mounting turbulence as new trade tariffs threatened or introduced by Donald Trump begin to take a toll.
Leading airlines such as Delta and United have recently scaled back their growth projections, citing decreased passenger demand and increased operating costs. Analysts warn the sector could face a profit downturn as investor confidence falters.
One major blow came from China, which has halted imports of Boeing aircraft – an especially damaging move for the US manufacturer, as Chinese carriers represent a key slice of global demand.
Boeing has approximately 10 737 MAXs waiting to be shipped to China.
China has also told its carriers to stop purchasing parts from US companies, Bloomberg reported.
Meanwhile, carriers like Delta and Ryanair have openly suggested they might delay or cancel aircraft purchases if costs continue to rise due to tariff-linked price hikes.
The ripple effects go beyond passenger airlines.
The air cargo sector, which had shown signs of recovery, has reported a slowdown, signaling broader economic headwinds.
Industry experts caution that prolonged trade friction could dampen international travel to and from the US, potentially inflicting long-term harm on global aviation routes and demand.
Boeing’s presence in the Chinese aviation market has dwindled dramatically since 2019, with political tensions playing a major role in its decline.
The fallout from U.S.-China trade disputes that began under Donald Trump’s first term has contributed to a sharp drop in demand from Chinese carriers. Between 2017 and 2018, Boeing is understood to have secured 122 aircraft orders from Chinese buyers.
But in the six years since, the company has logged just 28 orders, none of which was an order for a passenger jet directly from a Chinese carrier (instead they were freighters/lessors).
