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Ryanair expects to grow at least 10% in Italy this year despite reduced aircraft availability caused by Boeing’s delays in deliveries of the 737 Max. «Boeing was supposed to deliver 57 Boeing 737 8-200s to us by June, but they will probably be limited to 45-50» explained the CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary during a meeting with the press at the Dublin headquarters, delays that they could get worse after the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 affair. The low-cost airline, one of the main customers of the American manufacturer, fears that the accident two weeks ago, when a door exploded during the flight a few minutes after take-off from Portland airport in the United States, could also delay the certification of two other Boeing models: the Max 7 and the 10. Ryanair does not have any Max 9 in its fleet.
The Max 9 still down for a week
The FAA, the American aeronautical authority, after having stopped all the Max 9s, started an investigation into its production line, also involving its suppliers, including Spirit AeroSystems, responsible for the construction of the fuselages. “The Max 9 currently remains on the ground – continued O’Leary – but Boeing has assured us that the work is halfway there and the aircraft could be authorized to fly again at the end of next week”.
The company expected to transport between 200 and 205 million passengers in 2024 from 169 million in 2023, but had to review the target lowering it to 199 million, not the long-term one confirmed at 300 million passengers by 2034 and 800 planes, but on one condition: the arrival of the 300 737 Max 10 aircraft with which to strengthen the offer, since the new aircraft will be able to carry 220 passengers. «We are in constant contact with Boeing, we met the management in Seattle two weeks ago – explained O’Leary – We expect the Max 7 to be certified at the end of the first quarter of this year, while the Max 10 which has already carried out flight tests could obtain certification by the end of the year, there are no reasons for a postponement. I expect the first planes will be delivered to United and American Airlines.”
Boeing’s quality and delivery delays
O’Leary, who on several occasions had complained about delays in aircraft deliveries, going so far as to define Boeing’s management as “headless chickens”, reiterated his concerns about the quality found on the aircraft: “We have been complaining for two years about the quality of the products, little things that shouldn’t happen when you spend 100 million dollars on new planes. I had a meeting with Boeing’s top management who reassured me about the increased quality controls.” After the Alaska accident, «we doubled our engineers in Seattle and Wichita (Spirit’s headquarters, ed.) for pre-delivery checks and each delivered plane is given a complete check lasting at least 48 hours».
Fewer planes in the air due to problems at Airbus and Boeing
The lack of planes will put a strain on European traffic, still below pre-Covid levels (93% according to the latest Eurocontrol data): in addition to Boeing’s problems, Airbus will also ground at least 10% of its planes to repair Pratt & Whitney engines. “Demand will continue to be sustained but the shortage of planes will push fares higher, we estimate around 5%,” explained the CEO.