Ryanair “will not fly unsafe aircraft” but is seeking a cheaper deal with Boeing by retaining orders for more 737s, an expert has said, adding that the Irish airline has one of the world’s largest fleets of 737s. One of the best safety records.

US aircraft giant Boeing has come under renewed scrutiny days after a crash on Monday in which a 787 aircraft “frozen” in mid-air en route to Auckland, New Zealand.

The incident, which caused people to hit the ceiling, according to witnesses, is the latest in a series of worrying problems involving Boeing aircraft in recent years, the most notorious of which were two 737s in 2018 and 2019. Fatal plane accident.

Boeing was already under pressure after a cabin panel on a 737 Max 9 exploded while flying at 16,000 feet in January, forcing an Alaska Airlines flight to make an emergency landing. The panel was later found in the back garden of a home in suburban Portland, Oregon.

The Alaska Airlines incident led United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to say the airline would develop a new fleet plan that would not include the model. The company has ordered 277 Max 10 jets, with options for an additional 200.

“We have asked Boeing to stop producing the Max 10 for us and they have already produced the Max 10 for us and start producing the Max 9,” Mr Kirby said on Tuesday. “It’s hard to say when Max 10 will be certified.”

Ryanair executives said in late January that if any U.S. customers refused to take delivery of 737 Max 10 aircraft, Aer Lingus would buy them “at the right price.”

Chief Executive Michael O’Leary described the Max 10 as “transformative” and said Boeing will always build great airplanes “but quality does need to improve”.

Ryanair chief financial officer Neil Sorahan said Mr Kirby’s comments were “unhelpful”.

Asked whether Ryanair was nervous about its reliance on the Max or was looking for ways to diversify, Sorahan said: “No, I think the Max is a great aircraft.”

He said Ryanair could choose not to sell its older 737s “if something happens”.

“But the reality is we very much want to have as many 8-200s as possible [the high-density version of the Max 8] And our potential to grow 10x over the next few years. ” he added.

Aviation expert Bernard Lavelle said Ryanair, one of Boeing’s main customers, was seeking “price negotiations” to buy more planes at lower prices.

“Ryanair will not fly unsafe aircraft,” Mr Lavelle told Iadding that Ryanair must be confident that the aircraft will be “completely safe” when delivered.

it is as Boeing failed 33 of 89 tests After the Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 accident, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted an audit of the 737 Max production process. New York Times reported on Monday.

The agency said the audit found “numerous instances” of Boeing and its supplier Spirit AeroSystems failing to comply with quality control requirements.

The planemaker told Reuters that Boeing would continue to implement changes immediately and develop plans to enhance safety and quality based on the audit’s findings.

“Given the review currently underway, there must be […] A huge improvement in safety and safety culture,” Mr Lavelle said.

but pointing Ryanair’s top safety record, “Ryanair will never put its safety record at risk in any way,” the expert said.

Aviation consultant John Strickland told I Ryanair’s chief executive expressed confidence that “they will overcome the challenges… He cannot take any shortcuts on this and it is clear that he has no intention of putting anything at risk as far as Ryanair is concerned”.

“They’re not making it easy for Boeing, it’s just in terms of practicality, this new aircraft is bigger than what they have now and it’s very important for Ryanair’s growth – but none of that will happen until it’s safe, I think that’s the key thing they have to keep in mind,” he added.

Ryanair said on March 1 that Boeing currently expects to deliver only 40 of a planned 57 737 Max 8-200 aircraft, which were originally scheduled to be delivered by the end of June 2024.

A statement on the airline’s website said the fewer aircraft than expected will result in “minor changes to Ryanair’s fleet of 600 aircraft and will reduce frequency on existing routes rather than cutting new routes”.

In May last year, Ryanair announced an order for a further 300 new Boeing 737 Max 10 aircraft, to be delivered between 2027 and 2033.

The 737 Max 7 has not yet been certified by the FAA and the latest crisis could delay certification, analysts said. The Max 8 is the most popular model, with 1,179 aircraft in service and 1,973 on order, according to Cirium.

The Max 9, which has 77 outstanding orders, has been under scrutiny since the Alaska Airlines incident. The Max 10 was certified by the FAA for test flights in November 2023, but Boeing’s crisis may delay its full certification.

Ryanair said in January it hoped the model would be certified by the end of the year.

Agency’s Supplementary Report