BRUSSELS, March 19 (Reuters) - European budget carrier Ryanair expects Boeing to get certification of its MAX 10 aircraft in the third quarter of the year, with deliveries set to be on time early next
Ryanair CEO expects Boeing 737 MAX 10 certification in third quarter
Ryanair's Anticipated Boeing 737 MAX 10 Certification Timeline
By Adam Jourdan, Joanna Plucinska and Dan Catchpole
Ryanair's Expectations and Boeing's Position
BRUSSELS/SEATTLE, March 19 (Reuters) - European budget carrier Ryanair expects Boeing to get certification of its 737 MAX 10 aircraft in the third quarter, with deliveries set for early next year, CEO Michael O'Leary told Reuters on Thursday at an event in Brussels.
That is more specific timing than Boeing has provided.
Boeing declined to comment on O'Leary's statement on Thursday.
Significance of 737 MAX 10 Certification
Financial Recovery and Market Competition
Certifying and beginning deliveries of the largest of its 737 MAX family is critical for Boeing's financial recovery following years of crashes, crises and regulatory problems. The 737-10 competes with European rival Airbus's A321neo, which has been in service since 2017.
Ryanair's Order and Fleet Expansion
Ireland-based Ryanair ordered 150 MAX 10s in 2023, with options for another 150. The airline already operates high-density 737 MAX 8s.
Boeing's Production and Certification Plans
Production Targets for 2024 and Beyond
Boeing plans to build 30 737-10s this year for delivery in 2027, Chief Financial Officer Jay Malave said on Tuesday at the Bank of America Global Industrials Conference in London.
Certification of Remaining 737 MAX Variants
Malave said the company is on track to certify the two remaining 737 MAX variants - the 737-7 and -10 - in the second half of the year.
Testing Requirements for Certification
"There's a number of aircraft systems and capabilities and functions that will have to be (flight) tested" before the planes are certified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, he said at the event on Tuesday.
Those include the models' autopilot systems and engine anti-icing systems.
Current Deliveries and Future Production Rate
Boeing has delivered more than 2,000 of the other two MAX variants -- the 737-8 and 737-9, which are in service around the world.
The company plans to increase 737 production rate from 42 jets a month now to 47 a month by mid-year, Malave said on Tuesday. "The team is actually working on an earlier date than that, but for purposes of conservatism, (it is) around mid-year."
(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska in Brussels and Dan Catchpole in Seattle; Writing by Adam Jourdan and Dan Catchpole; Editing by Bernadette Baum, David Gregorio and Diane Craft)
