O’Leary slams ‘complacent’ Boeing over Max delivery delays

Ryanair CE Michael O’Leary has blasted a “complacent” Boeing for delays in delivering the airline’s troubled 737 Max aircraft. The low-cost carrier handed Boeing a major boost with a multibillion-dollar deal for 75 of the planes in December, the first firm Max order since the jet was grounded for 20 months after two fatal accidents within five months.  But on Monday, O’Leary said Boeing had not delivered 14 aircraft expected in April and May, accusing the US company of mishandling its relationships with safety regulators — a particularly sensitive issue following the crashes. Boeing paused deliveries of the Max in April over an electrical issue, and promised to catch up on deliveries through the rest of the year.  “I think it’s disappointing and unacceptable. Certainly, if they’re treating the regulator with the same radio silence that they’re treating customers, I’d be very worried about the durability of the aircraft,” O’Leary said on a company results call on Monday. While O’Leary has not spared Boeing from his withering criticism of large parts of the industry over the years, he had become a strident supporter of the troubled Max aircraft. Boeing said: “We continue to work with Ryanair to support their fleet requirements.” O’Leary’s comments came as Ryanair slumped to the steepest annual loss in its 35-year history as the coronavirus crisis devastated international travel.<br/>