Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is reportedly close to finalising a $10bn deal with Boeing for the new 737 MAX aircraft.
Boeing CEO Ray Conner and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary will officially announce the deal at a meeting today, reported Reuters.
Last week, Ryanair was in advanced stages of negotiations to place an order for at least 100 737 MAX 8 jetliners.
A source familiar with the matter was quoted by the news agency as saying that the airline could order as many as 150 aircraft.
If a deal is finalised, it would mark the first MAX order by the Irish carrier, and would be a major order for 737 MAX, which has logged 2,219 orders to date since its launch in 2011.
As of August-end, Boeing had an order book of 1,004, while Airbus had 1,001 aircraft orders.
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By GlobalDataDesigned to compete with Airbus’s A320neo, the 737 MAX family aircraft will be powered by CFM International engines, and is claimed to be 16% better fuel efficient compared with other similiar sized jetliners.
Last year, Ryanair placed a $15.6bn order for 175 next-generation 737-800 aeroplanes.
O’Leary earlier said the carrier would maintain that order although it is considering a higher-density MAX version.
Image: Ryanair would place an order for at least 100 737 MAX 8 jetliners. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.
