Ryanair says Boeing moving to accelerate jet deliveries

Ryanair said Boeing has taken steps to accelerate delivery of some 737 Max jets this summer, potentially alleviating the bottleneck created from a slower pace of output.

The Irish budget airline might receive an additional two or three planes before the end of June, chief executive Michael O’Leary said on Wednesday at a press conference in Rome. While that still leaves the airline far short of its original plan, the development shows Boeing is making efforts to accommodate one of its most important customers.

Stephanie Pope, who replaced Stan Deal last month as head of Boeing’s commercial aircraft business, is “committed” to speeding up late deliveries, O’Leary said.

Boeing was forced to slow production following the near-catastrophic accident in early January involving a 737 Max 9 jet operated by Alaska Airlines. Ryanair expects only 40 out of 57 Max planes to be delivered this summer, forcing the airline to cut its annual passenger forecast and flight frequencies across its network.