Boeing loyalist Ryanair to fly first Airbus with Austria deal

Ryanair's plan to buy Laudamotion will add Airbus planes to the Irish low-cost carrier's fleet for the first time and could herald an improvement in relations with the European planemaker. The acquisition by one of the world's biggest airlines, which now operates 430 Boeing 737s, marks an unusual step in the low-cost business, where carriers tend to stick to a single aircraft type to keep costs down and operations simple. The move to buy 75 percent of Vienna-based Laudamotion could also signal a shift to form a multi-airline group in the low-cost business, mirroring traditional operators such as IAG and Lufthansa that each run several carriers. But CE Michael O'Leary is starting small with Airbus, although he said he had harbored aspirations to develop an Airbus fleet at Ryanair for "some years". The Laudamotion deal gives Ryanair 15 Airbus A320, with plans to double that in three years. By comparison, Ryanair aims to have 570 Boeing 737s in five years, ensuring it stays one of the biggest clients for the Seattle-based firm even as it forms a new link with the European manufacturer. "This obviously gives them more bargaining power," said Mark Simpson, an analyst at broker Goodbody, which has a "buy" rating for Ryanair. "If they are going to 600 aircraft, do you have 400 Boeing and 200 Airbus? It gives them flexibility."<br/>