
Ryanair airline tickets this summer could cost 5 to 10% more because of Boeing's delay in deliveries of new planes. The warning was made by group chief executive Michael O'Leary, who said the delay would reduce Ryanair's ability to offer seats on board.
The Irish group's number one explained that the delivery of 57 Boeing 737 Max 8200 aircraft was expected in March, but instead there will be 40-45 of them for the summer. Boeing has been in trouble since an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 was involved in an accident in which a door detached shortly after takeoff. Subsequent increased aircraft controls by US authorities slowed production and delivery times.
O'Leary added that problems with the Airbus A320's Pratt & Whitney engines will also play a role, as operators will keep a certain number of aircraft grounded for inspections. The delays mean Ryanair may be forced to cut some flights from the summer season, O'Leary said, reducing capacity for what is expected to be a record summer for travel.
This means Ryanair can only carry 200 million passengers for the financial year starting in April, compared to the 205 million previously forecast. Further capacity constraints could make the airline less competitive against low-cost rivals such as EasyJet.