Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) is studying both the Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) A320neo and the Boeing (BOE, Washington National) B737 MAX for its future fleet plans CEO Michael O'Leary has disclosed. In an interview with FlightGlobal, O'Leary said that while the Irish LCC has historically been a loyal Boeing customer, the higher density A320 would be particularly appealing.
"We will take those aircraft as is, but for the next round of aircraft, [for the period] 2019 to 2025, we are looking at the 189-seat Airbus or what I hope will be a 197 to 198-seat 737," he said.
Airbus is in the process of recertifying its A320 airframe to fit 189 passengers - up from the current 180 - while Boeing disclosed plans for a 200-seater B737 MAX 8 aircraft.
At present, Ryanair operates a fleet of three hundred in-house B737-800s, alongside four leased B737-400s and solitary A320. Its first of additional 180 B737s on order from Boeing will begin arriving in September this year with the last due in 2018.
