By Ian Molyneaux
Irish Airline Ryanair and United States aircraft maker Boeing are rumored to be on the cusp of sealing a huge deal for the low-cost carrier to purchase more planes. According to Reuters, two sources, with knowledge of the current situation, have said that the deal is for over a hundred Boeing 737 MAX 10 jets. Bloomberg later reported that the figure being negotiated is for the purchase of around 150 737 MAX with the option for a possible 30 more.
In March 2023, it was reported that talks between Boeing and Ryanair had restarted after negotiations had previously broken down over prices for the jets 18 months before. “We are back talking to them, which I think is an indication there is some movement on pricing […] I think there is a deal to be done,” O’Leary said. O’Leary said that conversations between the carrier and plane manufacturer are in the “early stages”.
In December 2020, Ryanair signed a purchase agreement with Boeing for 75 new 737 MAX 8 aircraft, which increased its firm order count at the time from 135 to 210. Ryanair managed to bag a bargain for the deal which was made while the aviation industry was suffering heavily from the pandemic. Ryanair is one of Boeing’s largest and most valuable customers in the industry.
