Ryanair Holdings CEO Michael O'Leary said in an interview that Boeing “continues to disappoint” the low-cost carrier, noting that the airline would receive only five aircraft in August compared to ten, as was planned.
"We're working closely with Stephanie Pope and the new team in Boeing, but they continue to disappoint us," O’Leary told Reuters.
Pope is the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and COO of The Boeing Company. She took over both roles this year but has been at the company for over 30 years.
O’Leary explained that Boeing now expects to receive 20 to 25 of its ordered B737 MAX by the summer of 2025 instead of the planned 29. He noted that five jets were delivered to Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) in July instead of seven but that only five would arrive in August instead of ten.
ch-aviation fleets shows that Ryanair has 150 B737-10 on order (with an option for 150 more) and forty-eight B737-8-200s. The first deliveries of the MAX 10 are scheduled for 2027.
Speaking of certification, O’Leary noted that it was "impossible to know" if everything for the MAX 10 would be finalised in the first half of next year. The B737-7 was supposed to be certified by the end of this year, but O’Leary said that is now moving into 2025.
In May, financial chief Neil Sorahan stated he was confident that the MAX 10 would arrive on time, despite delays in B737-8-200 deliveries causing the carrier to reduce its capacity in 2024.
Boeing presented a thorough plan to boost its safety management, quality system, safety culture, and Organisation Designation Authorisation (ODA) responsibilities to the US Federal Aviation Administration following the Alaska Airlines mid-air cabin panel blowout at the start of the year.
