Ryanair announces order for three additional 737-800 aircraft

Irish low-cost carrier (LCC) Ryanair has been revealed as the buyer of three Boeing 737-800s that had previously been on the manufacturer’s books as having been sold to an unidentified customer.

The aircraft “will be delivered in early 2016, bringing our total recent orders to 183 737-800s, in addition to further orders for up to 200 ‘game changer’ Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said.

“These Boeing aircraft orders will allow us to expand our fleet to over 520 aircraft and to increase our traffic to 160 million customers per annum by 2024.”

The three-aircraft order has a value of $280 million at list prices. Initial deliveries from Ryanair’s massive previous order have just started to arrive and, with the latest additions, the Irish LCC now has unfilled orders for 174 737-800s and 100 737 MAX 200s.

Ryanair operates the largest all-Boeing fleet in Europe with more than 300 737-800s in service and is the biggest customer for the type, ordering more than 530 throughout its history. The Dublin-based airline is also the launch customer for the 737 MAX 200, finalizing an order for 100 aircraft last year, with options for 100 more.

(Alan Dron - ATWOnline News)