The boss of Ryanair has said holidaymakers will face higher fares this summer due to new Boeing planes arriving late.
Chief executive Michael O’Leary said the delayed delivery of the planes will constrain capacity for passengers. He said that Ryanair’s ticket prices could be up to 10% more expensive this summer as a result. Ryanair hopes to get some compensation, but is focused on getting planes delivered, he added.
Mr O’Leary said that a delivery of 57 Boeing 737 Max 8200’s was due by March, but the firm thinks only 40-45 may arrive in time for the summer season.”
Boeing has been facing scrutiny since an incident in January when a piece of one of its jets blew out during a passenger flight. The Alaska Airline passenger flight, did not lead to serious injuries but forced an emergency landing.
As a result, Mr O’Leary said, the US manufacturer had the US regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, “crawling all over them”. Major concerns have been raised about quality control for new Boeing aircraft, sparking a slowdown in production speed.
Mr O’Leary said costs saved through hedging on fuel would mean that Ryanair’s fare increase would not be as steep as the 17% rise seen in 2023. Some other airlines also have capacity constraints caused by aircraft not being available, he added.
A problem with Pratt & Whitney engines, for example, has grounded a number of Airbus planes used by carriers such as Wizz Air. He told reporters that there would be a “higher fare environment across Europe” this summer.
