Ryanair said it would cut a number of flights from its winter schedule amid delays in delivering Boeing aircraft between September and December.
The company said it would reduce the number of aircraft based in Dublin by two, Charleroi by three and cut a further five from four Italian bases, including Bergamo, Naples and Pisa. There will also be aircraft reductions in East Midlands, Porto and Cologne.
Last week, Ryanair said it would cut its 17-route winter flight schedule from Dublin Airport, as well as reducing frequency on other routes and relocating a fleet of 19 “enviro-friendly” aircraft, amid a row with airport operator DAA over charges.
The cuts come after Ryanair said it would only receive 14 of the 27 aircraft its had expected to receive from Boeing by the end of the year. The aircraft maker has experienced a number of production delays at the Spirit Fuselage facility in Wichita, along with Boeings repair and delivery delays in Seattle.
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“We are working closely with Boeing and their supplier, Spirit, to minimise these delivery delays. It is deeply regrettable that production problems in Wichita, and in Seattle, have yet again delayed Boeing’s contracted deliveries to Ryanair this winter,” chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said. “We are in regular dialogue with Boeing and our primary objective is to ensure we get delivery of all 57 contracted B737 aircraft before the end of May 2024.”
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The flight cancellations will take effect from the end of October. Affected passengers will be contacted by email in the coming days, with alternative flights or refunds offered.
“At this early date, we do not expect these delivery delays will materially affect our full year traffic target of 183.5 million but if the delays worsen or extend further into the January to March, 2024, period, we may have to revisit this figure and possibly adjust it slightly downward,” Mr O’Leary said.
