Ryanair plans to take delivery of “up to 29” new Boeing 737 MAX 8s in 2025
January 6, 2025
Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary has frequently complained of delays in receiving its new aircraft, which is delaying the airline’s ambitious recapitalisation plans. On 1 November 2024, that fleet had 609 aircraft, including 26 180-seat Airbus A320s and 411 189-seat Boeing 737- Next Gen aircraft.
The airline is well into its acquisition of 210 new Boeing 737 MAX 8s (which it designates as the 737-8200, avoiding use of the problematic MAX name) under a US $22 Bn investment, with 172 examples of what It also calls the ‘Gamechanger’ delivered to date. The airline is taking a customised, high density version of the MAX 8, seating 197 passengers. It claims that the aircraft carries “4% more guests, with 16% less fuel burn and 40% less noise emissions.” This additional capacity will, Ryanair says, enable it to grow passenger numbers from 200 million in 2024 to 210 million in 2025.
The airline has received four of the 20 aircraft that Boeing didn’t deliver during the summer of 2024, with delivery of the remainder slipping into 2025.
At an October 2024 Airlines For Europe (A4E) event in Brussels O’Leary said that: “The big challenge for next year is that we’re supposed to get 30 aircraft between March and June—I wouldn’t hold my breath. If we can get 10 or 15 or 20, we’ll be doing well.”
Once the airline has received the 38 remaining 737-8200s, it is due to receive 300 228-seat Boeing 737 MAX 10s. These, Ryanair says, will: “carry 21% more guests, but burn 20% less fuel and are 50% quieter than our Boeing 737-NG Fleet.”
