Ryanair today announced a new order for 75 Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft – the high capacity variant aimed at low-cost and leisure carriers.
This shot in the arm is just what the type needs as it navigates gently back into the air following recertification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In fact, just yesterday American Airlines returned their 737 MAX aircraft to the air following a press and staff demonstration flight out of Dallas Ft Worth to its maitenance hub in Tulsa, and back.
The flight had 95 passengers on board, and was the first time a MAX had flown commercially since March 2019. It was intended to begin the process of restoring public confidence in the type which was rocked by two crashes which claimed over 340 lives.
Now, as American Airlines returns the 737 MAX to passenger duties, with United Airlines and other carriers set to follow early next year, Ryanair has shown its own confidence in the type before it has even taken delivery of any.
Ryanair is the launch customer for the high-capacity 737-8200 variant, having placed its first order for 100 airplanes and 100 options in late 2014, followed by firm orders of 10 airplanes in 2017 and 25 in 2018. The 737 8-200 will enable Ryanair to configure its aircraft with 197 seats, increasing revenue potential, and reduce fuel consumption by 16 percent compared to the airline’s previous airplanes.
“Ryanair’s board and people are confident that our customers will love these new aircraft. Passengers will enjoy the new interiors, more generous leg room, lower fuel consumption and quieter noise performance. And, most of all, our customers will love the lower fares, which these aircraft will enable Ryanair to offer starting in 2021 and for the next decade, as Ryanair leads the recovery of Europe’s aviation and tourism industries,” said Ryanair Group CEO Michael O’Leary.
