Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has offered to take rejected or unsold 737 MAX 10 planes off Boeing’s hands if current sales fall through.
Although the Dublin-based carrier has 300 orders on Boeing’s books for the MAX 10 (150 firm, 150 on option) its executives took aim at other airlines that suggested they would reject the new Boeing model, and said Ryanair would look at taking those planes.
Speaking to investors and the media at the airline’s latest quarterly result presentation, often outspoken CEO Michael O’Leary
"We have told them if some of these American airlines don't want to take the MAX 10 aircraft, Ryanair will take those aircraft," he declared.
The comments were made in response to the criticism of Boeing by the CEOs of United Airlines and Alaska Airlines in the last week.
United’s Scott Kirby has poured doubt on his airline’s order of 737 MAX 10s, describing the FAA’s grounding of some MAX 9s as “the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
Alaska’s CEO Ben Minicucci said he was “angry” about the recent door plug incident, and called on the manufacturer to further outline what it will do to improve quality assurance.
Ryanair’s CFO Neil Sorahan struck a different tone on the call.
“I think the MAX is a great aircraft,” he said.
Sorahan also called the interventions by other airline leaders “unhelpful” and seconded O’Leary’s offer.
"If Scott Kirby doesn't want to take his MAX 10s, then we'll very happily take them at the right price," he declared.
The MAX 10 is expected to be certified for passenger flights in 2024, with the first commercial flights expected to take off in early 2025.
The comments are a reflection of the split views on Boeing within the aviation industry as the manufacturer continues to battle pressures relating to its troubled 737 line.
The MAX 9, the type of aircraft involved in the door plug blow-out, has now been cleared to fly again by the US FAA.
But the MAX 7, which has faced regulatory issues since its inaugural flight in March 2018, is in the news again as Boeing has withdrawn its bid for an exemption that would have permitted it to delay redesigns on inlets and engine anti-ice systems until 2026.
With United and Alaska leadership openly talking of cancelling orders, the hundreds of aircraft committed to at the 2023 Paris Air Show now hang in the balance.
