His remarks came as the Irish airline announced an order of 150 737 MAX 10s from the US manufacturer, with deliveries set to begin in 2027. Ryanair also secured options for an additional 150 aircraft of the same type, equipped with 228 seats. This deal provides a boost to the 737 MAX program as Boeing addresses a quality problem discovered last month, which led to the suspension of some 737 MAX 8 and MAX 8-200 deliveries due to faulty aft fuselage fittings.
The issue arose during assembly work by Wichita-based Spirit AeroSystems, a major supplier of 737 components, including fuselages, for Boeing. The 737 MAX 9 remains unaffected. According to Cirium data, Ryanair has orders for 107 737 MAX 8-200s.
O'Leary acknowledged that the recent delivery delays forced Ryanair to reduce some planned summer capacity but insisted that it would not significantly impact the airline's operations. The carrier initially expected to receive 51 737 MAX jets from Boeing by the end of April, but now anticipates receiving 48-50 by the end of July, O'Leary said. He praised Boeing for its efforts in catching up on deliveries.
In addition to the recent delivery challenges, Boeing has been working to increase 737 production as it and its suppliers face shortages of raw materials, parts, and labor. Boeing CEO David Calhoun cited an insufficient number of CFM International Leap-1B turbofans as a factor in the delayed 737 output.
O'Leary believes CFM is also making progress, stating on May 9, "The engine manufacturers have faced herculean challenges over the last year or two, and they are delivering phenomenal engines."
Boeing's ability to deliver Ryanair's 737 MAX 10s on schedule also depends on the timely certification of the MAX 10, the largest variant in the MAX family. The program has already experienced delays due to increased regulatory oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration. Boeing now targets MAX 10 certification for 2024.
"We have no fear [about] the MAX 10 getting regulatory certification," O'Leary said on May 9, noting that Ryanair is not scheduled to be the first airline to receive a MAX 10. "It will be [certificated] well ahead of our first deliveries in 2027."
