Ryanair has placed its biggest ever order for aircraft, with up to 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets set to join the growing airline’s fleet.
The aircraft comprise the new 737 MAX 10, which is the largest model in the range and is yet to receive certification.
To date, Ryanair has been adding 737 MAX 8-200 “Gamechanger” aircraft, with 197 seats, to its fleet operating low-cost services across Europe. These are in addition to the existing Boeing 737-800 models already in its fleet.
“Ryanair is pleased to sign this record aircraft order for up to 300 MAX 10s with our aircraft partner Boeing. These new, fuel efficient, greener technology aircraft offer 21% more seats, burn 20% less fuel and are 50% quieter than our B737-NGs,” said Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s Group CEO.
“We expect half of this order will replace older NGs while the remaining 150 aircraft will facilitate controlled, sustainable growth to just over 300m guests per annum by 2034. This order, coupled with our remaining Gamechanger deliveries, will create 10,000 new jobs for highly paid aviation professionals over the next decade, and these jobs will be generated across all of Europe’s main economies where Ryanair is currently the No.1 or No.2 airline,” O’Leary said.
Boeing’s new fuel efficient, B737-MAX-10 aircraft have 228 seats (21% more than the B737NG) and the phased deliveries between 2027 and 2033 will enable Ryanair to create more than 10,000 new high-paid jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers, to facilitate disciplined traffic growth of 80% from 168m in year end March 2023 to 300m p.a. by March 2034. Ryanair expects 50% of these deliveries will replace older B737NGs, which will allow Ryanair to continue to operate one of Europe’s youngest, most fuel efficient, and environmentally sustainable aircraft fleets.
When finalised, and subject to all options being exercised, this deal is valued at over $40bn at current list prices and is the largest order ever placed by an Irish Company for US manufactured goods.
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