Ryanair Attributes Winter Schedule Reductions to Boeing's Delay Impact

Ryanair, the Irish low-cost carrier, which has been experiencing a strong performance this year in its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, is now compelled to make adjustments to its winter schedule.

The primary reason cited for these changes is the delay in receiving aircraft deliveries, with over a dozen Boeing planes unable to join the airline's fleet as initially planned.

In a statement released today by Ryanair, the budget carrier had anticipated the arrival of 27 aircraft between September and December of this year. However, due to production bottlenecks in Wichita and subsequent repair and delivery delays in Seattle, only slightly more than half of these deliveries, specifically 14, are expected to take place. Consequently, this leaves 13 aircraft unaccounted for, with significant ramifications for Ryanair's winter schedule for 2023/24. Having initially factored in 27 deliveries for the final quarter of the year, the airline now faces the necessity of making adjustments due to the shortfall in capacity.

With no available spare aircraft due to scheduled winter maintenance, Ryanair will reduce its capacity at several of its bases. For instance, Brussels-Charleroi Airport (CRL) will witness a decrease of three aircraft, while Dublin Airport (DUB), Ryanair's second-largest hub, will see a reduction of two aircraft.

These cancellations are slated to commence next month. Other bases will experience more minor reductions, with Bergamo, Cologne, East Midlands, Naples, Pisa, and Porto being among the affected locations. The resulting cancellations from these cuts are scheduled to take effect in late October, with Ryanair preparing to notify affected passengers and offer them alternative flights or refunds in the coming days. Michael O'Leary, serving as Ryanair's Group CEO, expressed his disappointment, stating:

"It is deeply regrettable that production problems in Wichita and Seattle have yet again delayed Boeing’s contracted deliveries to Ryanair this winter. We are in regular dialogue with Boeing, and our primary objective is to ensure we get delivery of all 57 contracted 737 aircraft before the end of May 2024, so that Ryanair’s fleet can grow to over 600 aircraft for what will be our largest-ever summer flight program."

Despite the setbacks in Ryanair's planned deliveries, the airline does not anticipate an impact on its full-year passenger traffic results at this stage. However, if these issues persist into the next year, the situation may change, as O'Leary pointed out:

"At this early date, we do not expect these delivery delays will materially affect our full-year traffic target of 183.5 million [passengers]. If the delays worsen or extend further into the Jan to Mar 2024 period, we may have to revisit this figure and possibly adjust it slightly downward."

Interestingly, Ryanair's largest base, London Stansted Airport (STN), is set to receive a boost in capacity towards the end of 2023. Despite the delivery challenges, the airline plans to base two additional Boeing 737 MAX jets at the airport and introduce new routes, providing a silver lining amid the delivery woes.

 

Source: simpelflying.com