Ryanair (FR, Dublin International) has suggested to Boeing that new B737-10s could be part of a compensation package for the losses suffered as a result of the near year-long global B737 MAX grounding, Ryanair Holdings Chief Executive Michael O'Leary said during a quarterly earnings call.

According to Reuters, O'Leary said he does not expect talks to advance to the point where an actual order size is discussed before the B737 MAX is recertified.

A potential order for the B737 MAX 10, which can seat up to 230 passengers, would mark another upgauge for Ryanair. The Irish LCC, which so far exclusively operates 189-seat B737-800s (and a single B737-700 mostly for executive travel and crew training), has a firm order for 210 B737-8-200s, including 135 directly from Boeing and the remainder from lessors.

The airline has already acknowledged that it does not expect any B737 MAX before the Winter 2020 season. The MAX 8-200 requires a separate type certificate which is expected to take another two months after the B737 MAX is ungrounded.

Under its original schedule, Ryanair hoped to operate fifty-five B737 MAX during the Summer 2020 season. The LCC refused to give a specific figure regarding its estimated losses or demands for compensation from Boeing.

O'Leary added that realistically, Ryanair could take deliveries of up to eight B737 MAX per month once the type is certified. This would translate to around 50 units in the carrier's fleet for the peak Summer 2021 season.