Photo: Ryanair
Reading Time: < 1 minuteEurope’s biggest short-haul airline Ryanair has placed an order for 75 additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, raising the total number of pending deliveries from 135 to 210. So far, it is the largest order since the jet’s grounding in 2019.
Ryanair, which is receiving its new aircraft between spring 2021 and winter 2024, says that it plans to use the new planes to expand its services into new EU markets. The deal’s total value is worth $22 billion, with up to $9 coming from the recent order’s extension. Ryanair and Boeing said they also agreed on the terms of substantial compensation for Ryanair’s costs due to the delay in delivering the original order.
“We are gratified that Ryanair is once again placing its confidence in the Boeing 737 family and building their future fleet with this enlarged firm order,” Boeing’s President Dave Calhoun commented.
Before Ryanair goes any further towards resuming Boeing 737 MAX flights, its pilots will undergo mandatory training on three MAX simulators the airline has already bought and assembled.
Ryanair’s CEO Michael Kevin O’Leary said, “This aircraft is going to transform Ryanair’s future … our passengers will be traveling with lower fares and in more comfort. We believe the combination of vaccines and these new planes will lead us back into a period of growth.”