Ryanair has provided an update on delays to deliveries of its 737 MAX aircraft, with the airline reducing its full-year traffic target by around five million passengers.
The low-cost airline expected to take delivery of 57 Boeing 737 MAX 200s by the end of June, but this figure has now been reduced to just 40 aircraft.
As a result, Ryanair said it had reduced frequencies on existing services, rather than cutting new routes, and that airports including Dublin, Milan Malpensa, Warsaw Modlin and four Portuguese facilities suffered cuts due to higher airport costs.
The airline is now targeting between 198 million and 200 million passengers for the full year until March 2025, up from 205 million previously.
Ryanair Group is in the process of taking delivery of 210 Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft and last year placed an order for 150 MAX 10 aircraft, with options for a further 150 Boeing aircraft.
Ryanair orders up to 300 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft
Group chief executive Michael O'Leary said he was “very disappointed” by the latest delays, but said Ryanair would “work with Boeing to accept delayed aircraft deliveries during August and September 2024 to help Boeing reduce its delay in deliveries.
“Boeing continues to have Ryanair's unconditional support as they work through these temporary challenges, and we are confident that their senior management team, led by Dave Calhoun (CEO) and Brian West (CFO), will resolve these production delays and issues. quality control in both Wichita and Seattle,” O'Leary continued.
“We hope that these latest Boeing delivery delays, which are unfortunately outside of Ryanair's control, combined with the grounding of up to 20 percent of our competitors Airbus' A320 fleets in Europe, will lead to more limited capacity and fares. slightly higher air prices for consumers in Europe in summer 2024.”
ryanair.com, boeing.com
