(Reuters) – Boeing Co (BA.N<\/span>) handed over around a quarter as many planes in August as it did a year ago, pushing total deliveries so far this year down more than 40%, as the worldwide grounding of its best-selling 737 MAX jet enters its seventh month. <\/p>\n FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is displayed on a screen, at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 7, 2019. REUTERS\/Brendan McDermid<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n Regular monthly numbers from the U.S. planemaker showed it delivered 18 aircraft in August, down from 64 in the same period, a year ago. <\/p>\n In the eight months through August, deliveries totaled 276 aircraft, compared with 481 last year. <\/p>\n Chicago-based Boeing has not delivered any of its 737 MAX aircraft since the single-aisle plane was grounded worldwide in March after two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. <\/p>\n U.S. airlines have removed the grounded jet from their flight schedules until December or early next year. <\/p>\n The planemaker has said it expects to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration by October to put the jets back in the air. <\/p>\n Boeing is still playing catch up with European rival Airbus SE (AIR.PA<\/span>), which remains ahead with combined deliveries of 500 aircraft for the first eight months of 2019. Airbus delivered 207 of its A320neo jets, which competes with the 737 MAX. <\/p>\n Net orders after cancellations were a negative 85 aircraft so far this year for Boeing, compared with 95 for Airbus. <\/p>\n (Graphic: Airbus leads on deliveries, Boeing plays catch up png, here) <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>