Ryanair could snap up more Boeing 737s should other carriers shy away from orders amid softening demand, the chief executive Michael O’Leary said.
Ryanair is interested in sourcing extra single-aisle planes, even though it has 115 current generation 737-800s due for delivery over the next few years followed by 100 updated 737 Max 200s arriving from 2019, and is also exploring a further Max order.
“If additional slots became available in 2017 or 2018 we’d happily take them,” Mr O’Leary said in London. “If Boeing have more cancellations and all of a sudden instead of having oversold their order book they now have unplaced aircraft, I’m sure they’ll come back to us.”
The additional planes would replace some of Ryanair’s older 737-800s, he said, adding that the carrier struck a similar deal for 15 surplus 800s earlier this decade, taking delivery in 2014 and 2015. Boeing does not comment on client discussions, said the spokesman Doug Alder.
Ryanair is meanwhile continuing talks with Boeing over exercising options for 100 more Max 200s, a higher density upgrade of the 737-800 for which the Dublin-based company is the launch customer. A final decision on a follow-on order does not need to be taken until 2018, Mr O’Leary said.
With Boeing and Airbus each accelerating production of their single-aisle jets to about 60 a month by the end of the decade from 42 now, Ryanair could expect to get hefty discounts if deferrals and cancellations increase.
“It all depends on the price; if we could get them for free we would take a huge amount,” Mr O’Leary quipped.
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
