Ryanair is poised to receive five Boeing Max 8-200s earlier than expected this year. This shows the latest indication that the aircraft's delivery performance has improved after years of constrained power and delays.
During Ryanair's first quarter revenue call on July 21, group CEO Michael O'Leary said the “quality and timeliness” of Boeing delivery “has improved dramatically over the past year.”
“Boeing hit a production rate of 38 (largest aircraft) in May, but again in June. I think that's a testament to the good work that Seattle has done, especially with Kelly Ortberg, Stephanie Pope and her team.”
Among the improvements, Boeing asked Ryanair to take five of the remaining 29 Max jets earlier than planned in August, from the start of two unresolved orders.
“We can't deploy them so it doesn't suit us, but we're happy (to take them early) so we guarantee there are no delays in delivery that don't arrive in the summer of 2026,” says O'Leary.
Ryanair is now “cautiously” confident that it will acquire a jet with the 29 CFM International LEAP-1B outstanding in the fleet in the summer of 2026, completing delivery from that order and increasing it to a level that it had previously intended to reach 12 months ago.
Looking further, Boeing advised Ryanair that it expects to receive a maximum of 7 and maximum of 10 certifications in “late 2025,” O'Leary said in positive news for Irish carriers who are hoping to receive their first type order in 2027 from orders for 300 units of the largest jets placed in 2023.
“Boeing has confirmed that he writes his confidence to deliver the first 15 Max 10 in the spring of 2027 in time for the peak trip in the summer of 2027,” says O'Leary.
“These aircraft will transform Ryanair's economics and further expand the cost gap between us and all other airlines in Europe,” he adds.
Ryanair more than doubled its net and operating income in the April-June quarter to 820 million euros ($955 million) and 913 million euros, respectively, driven primarily by favorable timings for Easter this year and figures from the same period last year caused by airline disputes with online travel officials in the first half of 2024.
Still, carriers are expected to recover most of the 7% fare reduction seen in the year ending March 31, 2025 during the current fiscal year.
Demand is “robust” and business is on track, with passengers increasing by 3% per year to 206 million people.
