Ryanair chief forecasts latest aircraft will fly through to 2050

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said new aircraft are unnecessary, forecasting that the airline’s current generation will remain in service through 2050. Speaking as Ryanair reported first-quarter results for the three months to June, O’Leary dismissed claims from Boeing and Airbus that they are planning new commercial jets at this week’s Farnborough Air Show as “bullshit.” He called Boeing’s 737 MAX 7 and MAX 10 “dramatic technology improvements,” adding that Ryanair already operates 210 737 MAX aircraft and has 300 MAX-10s on order. O’Leary contrasted this with Boeing’s expectation to secure Max 10 certification by year-end and Airbus plans to launch a narrow-body replacement by 2030, aiming for a successor to the A321 by the second half of the 2030s. He also rejected hydrogen and electric propulsion, aligning with updated UK net-zero guidance that downgraded their impact by 2050.