Ryanair’s Chief Executive, Michael O’Leary, has highlighted concerns over the delayed delivery of planes, indicating potential capacity constraints for passengers and a potential rise in ticket prices.
O’Leary noted that Ryanair’s ticket prices could see an increase of up to 10% this summer due to the delayed delivery of planes. The airline hopes to receive some compensation for the delay but remains focused on ensuring the timely delivery of aircraft.
Originally, Ryanair was expecting a delivery of 57 Boeing 737 Max 8200’s by March, but now anticipates that only 40-45 aircraft may arrive in time for the summer season.
Boeing, the manufacturer of the aircraft, has faced increased scrutiny following an incident in January involving one of its jets. The incident, which occurred during an Alaska Airlines passenger flight, led to an emergency landing but did not result in serious injuries. O’Leary mentioned that Boeing is currently under close examination by the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The scrutiny surrounding Boeing has resulted in concerns about the quality control of new aircraft, leading to a slowdown in production speed. Additionally, issues with Pratt & Whitney engines have grounded a number of Airbus planes used by airlines such as Wizz Air.
O’Leary also discussed Ryanair’s forecast for passenger numbers, indicating that the original projection of carrying 205 million passengers by the end of March 2025 may need to be revised downward due to the aircraft delivery delays.
Regarding Boeing’s management, O’Leary expressed confusion over the messaging from the company and criticized its quality control standards. He advocated for a single individual to oversee the situation on a daily basis, rather than having multiple personnel in charge.
In response, a spokesperson for Boeing expressed regret over the impact of delivery delays on customers like Ryanair and stated that the company is working to address concerns and improve aircraft quality and delivery performance.
