Boeing has accelerated its aircraft delivery schedule for Ryanair, with 25 planes now set to arrive by October instead of spring 2025, CEO Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday.
The U.S. planemaker is working to stabilize production following a January 2024 incident in which a 737 MAX suffered a mid-air panel blowout, exposing broader safety and quality issues.
O’Leary praised the current output, saying, “The quality of what they’re delivering is excellent, so we’re really impressed.” He also noted that Boeing expects certification of its new models soon, with the MAX 7 targeted for approval by late 2025 and the MAX 10 possibly gaining certification early next year.
The Ryanair chief’s comments come during a challenging summer for the airline, which was hit by widespread air traffic control strikes. Around 700 flights were canceled in July, mostly in France, though August saw fewer disruptions. Despite this, O’Leary confirmed bookings remain strong and said the airline’s full-year guidance is unchanged.
He urged the European Union to do more to ensure flights can continue during strikes, stressing that no country should be able to close its skies and disrupt traffic across Europe.
