By Shawn Gallagher
Ryanair is one of the biggest customers of the Boeing 737 Max. The European carrier has ordered over 350 of the 737 Max family, but delays and incidents related to the aircraft have hurt this process.
Recently, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary expressed his displeasure with Boeing regarding these delays in an interview with Reuters, stating that “they continue to disappoint us.”
These delivery delays seem to continue for the foreseeable future as Boeing tries to make fixes internally and on their production of the 737 Max.
Why Does Ryanair Rely On The 737 Max?
Ryanair is a massive operator of the former model, the Boeing 737-800. In fact, that was the only aircraft they used until the 737 Max began entering service.
For a low cost airline like Ryanair, it’s highly beneficial for them to operate just one single aircraft type. This means they only need to operate maintenance for just one aircraft type, train pilots for just one aircraft type, and have high crew availability. There are many benefits.
This is why when Boeing announced that the Max series would be similar to the previous -800, Ryanair saw this as a great deal.
What’s Next For Boeing And Ryanair?
The two main things that are affecting Ryanair are negative PR and delivery delays.
Widespread negative PR about the 737 Max, the aircraft Ryanair relies on, is harmful to the airline as some passengers will either associate the aircraft with a bad experience or avoid it altogether.
The late deliveries also force Ryanair to change their plans for operating summer schedules and hurts their chance to expand.
As of now, it’s hard to know for sure when Ryanair can expect their 737 Max aircraft to be delivered at a reliable pace again. Until then, Ryanair will keep feeling the consequences of Boeing’s ineptitude to get the 737 Max certified and in the skies on time.
Featured image: Pavel1964 / Shutterstock