Ryanair ‘could buy 300 planes’
08.09.10
Ryanair could be in the market for up to 300 aircraft, the airline's chief executive was quoted as saying in an interview with the FT today. Ryanair had pulled out of talks last year to buy 200 jets from Boeing after failing to agree on certain conditions. But Michael O'Leary told the FT there was still the option of buying not only the 200 Boeing jets - worth about $15 billion - but up to 300 from either Boeing or its rival Airbus.
Mr O'Leary has been trying to play Airbus off against Boeing in order to get the best deal, but the strategy does not appear to be working as Airbus seems to be refusing to enter talks after Ryanair previously shook hands on a deal only to later back out. It has described the budget airline as a 'Boeing customer'.
This has obviously weakened Ryanair's negotiation position with Boeing, with the US aircraft maker standing firm despite a number of outburst from Mr O'Leary and the airline eventually walking away from the negotiating table. He had said that Ryanair would stop growing once their current order from Boeing runs out in two years time, and would instead start paying dividends, and even declared a €500m special dividend to be paid later this year.
However, it would appear that the airline wants to get back to the negotiating table. Ryanair told both manufacturers in early summer that it could buy ‘200 to 300’ aircraft if suitable prices and terms were offered, he said, though there were no negotiations at present.
To book a stansted airport hotel or stansted airport car park at the lowest price, click on these links to two great stansted airport car parking and stansted airport hotel price comparison pages.
