Ryanair set to cancel flights due to airplane shortage

Ryanair has said it is being forced to cancel flights as there is a shortfall in the delivery of Boeing aircrafts - customers will be contacted if their flight is impacted

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Aine Kenny

11:30, 28 SEP 2023

ROME, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 12: Michael O'Leary, CEO of the Ryanair holds a press conference to present new international routes on September 12, 2023 in Rome, Italy. Mr O'Leary strongly criticized the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso and the Caro Voli decree of the Meloni Government. During his Italian tour the head of the largest European airline is presenting the 2023/24 winter season with reduced flights in the current economic climate. (Photo by Simona Granati - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images) (Image: Simona Granati - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

Ryanair has announced that they are cutting or rescheduling a number of flights over the coming months due to delays with the delivery of Boeing aircraft.

The airline announced that there will be a number of winter 2023 schedule reductions as a result of Boeing aircraft delivery delays.

Ryanair said they expected to receive 27 aircraft between September and December, but due to production delays at the Spirit Fuselage facility in Wichita, Kansas, combined with Boeing's repair and delivery delays in Seattle, they now expect to receive only 14 aircraft between October and December.

Ryanair said it is working with Boeing to try to accelerate deliveries in the January to May 2024 period, so they can enter the peak summer travel season with all 57 new Boeing aircraft deliveries as expected.

As a result of these delivery delays, Ryanair will make a number of adjustments to its winter 2023 schedule this week.

The airline revealed they are reducing the number of Charleroi (Belgium) based aircraft by three, Dublin based aircraft by two, and will reduce five aircraft across four Italian bases, including Bergamo, Naples and Pisa.

There will also be aircraft reductions in the East Midlands in England, Porto in Portugal, and Cologne in Germany.

Ryanair apologised for these reductions, explaining they have no spare aircraft this winter as scheduled maintenance is necessary across their full fleet of over 550 aircraft, in order to have them all serviceable for its largest ever summer 2024 schedule.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said they 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," he 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, so that Ryanair’s fleet can grow to over 600 aircraft for what will be our largest ever summer flight programme," Mr O'Leary said.

"These flight cancellations will take effect from the end of October, and will be communicated to all affected passengers by email over the coming days. Passengers will be offered re-accommodation on alternative flights or full refunds as they so wish.

"We apologise sincerely to passengers for any inconvenience caused by these delivery delays this winter."

The airline boss said he does not expect these delivery delays to materially affect Ryanair's full year traffic target of 183.5 million, but if the delays worsen or extend further into the January to March 2024 period, they may have to revisit this figure and possibly adjust it slightly downward.

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