Ryanair’s chief has stated that holidaymakers will face higher fares this summer due to the delayed arrival of new Boeing aircraft.
CEO Michael O’Leary mentioned that the delay in aircraft delivery will limit capacity for passengers.
He stated that Ryanair ticket prices could be up to 10% higher this summer as a result.
Ryanair hopes for some compensation but is focused on getting the planes delivered, he added.
Mr. O’Leary said that a delivery of 57 Boeing 737 Max 8200s was expected by March, but the company estimates that only between 40 and 45 will arrive on time for the summer season.
Boeing has been under scrutiny since an incident in January when a piece of one of its planes detached during a passenger flight. The Alaska Airlines flight did not result in serious injuries but prompted an emergency landing.
As a result, Mr. O’Leary said, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has been “on them.”
Significant concerns have been raised about the quality control of Boeing’s new aircraft, leading to a slowdown in production speed.
Mr. O’Leary said that savings through fuel hedges would mean that Ryanair’s fare increase would not be as steep as the 17% increase seen in 2023.
Some other airlines also have capacity constraints caused by the lack of aircraft availability, he added.
An issue with Pratt & Whitney engines, for example, has grounded several Airbus planes used by companies like Wizz Air.
He told reporters that there would be a “higher fare environment across Europe” this summer.
Ryanair’s original forecast for the year ending March 2025 was to transport 205 million passengers, up from 183.5 million in the previous 12 months.
Speaking at the firm’s headquarters in Dublin, Mr. O’Leary said, “With fewer planes, we might have to reduce those 205 million to around 200 million passengers.”
“If capacity were growing, I think fares would be falling,” he added.
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Discussing the issues enveloping U.S. aircraft manufacturer Boeing, Mr. O’Leary described the message he currently receives from the company as “confusion.”
The low-cost airline chief has repeatedly backed Boeing’s top management but criticized the manufacturer’s quality control standards.
He doesn’t believe that removing 737 Max program chief Ed Clark was the right decision, arguing that having both a replacement for Mr. Clark and a new quality president made no sense.
Ryanair, he said, wanted someone in charge who was monitoring the situation daily, having previously stated that their products were “great planes, it’s just that they’re not being made on time or delivered on time.”
A Boeing spokesperson said, “We are communicating to customers that some delivery schedules may change as we take the necessary time to ensure that every airplane we deliver is of high quality and meets all customer and regulatory requirements.
They added, “We deeply regret the impact this is having on our valued customer Ryanair.”
“We are working to address their concerns and take action on a comprehensive plan to strengthen the quality and delivery performance of the 737.”
