Ryanair capacity hit as Boeing delivery delays 'getting worse' 

Summer flying capacity likely to be affected, while Ryanair could miss its target of transporting 200m passengers next year

The delay means Ryanair may get as few as 40 aircraft by the end of June, says Michael O'Leary. Picture: PA

Ryanair said  delivery delays of 737 Boeing Max aircraft have worsened and are now likely to affect capacity next summer. 

Ryanair said last month that it expected to receive 14 of 27 aircraft due by late December, but that number could fall as low as 10, chief executive Michael O’Leary said in an interview at an airlines meeting in Brussels. The latest supplier glitch to the jet looks like it will be challenging to fix, he said.

“If anything it’s getting worse,” Mr O’Leary said. “I would have been reasonably confident up until about a month ago that we would get 57 aircraft by the end of June. I’m now not confident.” 

The latest delay means Ryanair may receive as few as 40 by that time, he said.  

This will hurt summer flying capacity and may mean Ryanair misses its target to transport 200m passengers next year. 

The carrier had already lowered its full-year traffic estimate for this year over the issue, to 183.5m passengers from 185m previously.

Both Boeing and European rival Airbus have struggled to ramp up production. Rival EasyJet said it would order 157 Airbus aircraft, with an option for another 100 on top, with deliveries stretching as far out as 2034. 

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary reiterated predictions that EasyJet and Wizz Air would fall to consolidation. Picture: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Mr O'Leary also reiterated predictions that EasyJet and Wizz Air would fall to consolidation. 

The comments drew a frosty response from EasyJet. "Millions of consumers in Europe will be relieved to hear there is no realistic prospect of Ryanair becoming the only low-cost airline in Europe," an EasyJet spokesperson said. 

Meanwhile, the head of Aer Lingus and British Airways parent IAG told reporters at the Brussels conference there was a more-than 90% risk the industry would not meet a EU  mandate for the availability of sustainable aviation fuel in 2025.

• Bloomberg and Reuters