Ryanair offers to take Boeing 737 Max craft if US airlines pull orders

Ryanair has offered to step in and pick up more Boeing 737 Max aircraft if any US airlines cancel their orders amid deepening manufacturing problems at the plane maker. Europe’s largest airline has emerged as Boeing’s most supportive big customer after the manufacturer was plunged into crisis by a fuselage blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this month. Several US airline bosses vented their frustration at Boeing last week, and United Airlines CE Scott Kirby raised questions over the future of an order for 250 of Boeing’s 737 Max 10, the newest and still uncertified variant of the Max family. On Monday, Ryanair’s CE Michael O’Leary said Kirby’s comments were “not helpful” and backed Boeing’s management. “If United or any other airlines don’t want to take their Max 10 orders, we will be happy to step in,” he said. The airline is reliant on deliveries of the Max family of aircraft to expand over the next decade. It has an order book of 400 new aircraft, made up of 737 Max 8 and the Max 10. Ryanair said it expected to receive 50 Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft before the summer, seven fewer than agreed with Boeing, but in line with previous forecasts. Under its current plans it does not expect to receive the first Max 10 until 2027, but O’Leary said he would talk to Boeing about earlier deliveries if other airlines backed away from the plane.<br/>