Ryanair says it is hopeful that the Boeing 737 Max 10 model will be certified “before the end of the year.”
Ryanair also told Boeing that if any U.S. customers refuse to take delivery of 737 MAX 10 aircraft, it would buy them “at the right price.”
United Airlines chief executive officer Scott Kirby recently said he is reconsidering its order for the B737 Max 10, which is already years behind schedule.
Mr Kirby said in an interview on CNBC: “I’m disappointed that the manufacturing challenges do keep happening at Boeing,.They are taking action, I just want them to do it faster.“
Boeing had 903 orders for the MAX 10 version, the largest aircraft in the MAX series, capable of seating up to 230 passengers. It competes with Airbus’s A321neo for dominance in the single-aisle narrowbody market.
With a range of up to 3,100 nautical miles (3,567 miles), the 737 MAX 10 measures 43.8 meters in length.
In November 2023, the model received authorisation from the FAA for a type of inspection that allows FAA pilots to participate in flight testing for certification. Analysts suggest that the ongoing crisis at Boeing may cause delays in the entry into service of this variant.
Ryanair said in a written statement: “We continue to work closely with Boeing to minimise delivery delays and improve quality control in both Wichita and Seattle. While the recent MAX-9 grounding was a disappointing setback, we don’t expect it to affect the MAX-8 fleet or the MAX-10 certification. We visited Seattle in Jan. and met with Boeing senior management. Boeing are increasing their QA resources in Wichita and Seattle. We have run extra checks on our recent B737 deliveries and have noted improvements in quality with fewer delivery defects. However, Boeing have more work to do to improve quality, reduce delivery delays, and we fully support the initiatives that Dave Calhoun (CEO) and Brian West (CFO) are taking to improve Boeing’s performance and production.“
