Ryanair has cut flights from its winter 2023 schedule following delivery delays of new Boeing aircraft and scheduled maintenance on its current fleet, the carrier announced on Thursday (28 September).
The Irish carrier had expected to receive 27 aircraft between September and December, but due to a series of production and delivery delays, stated it now expects to receive only 14 aircraft between October and December.
As a result, Ryanair is reducing the number of Charleroi-based aircraft by three, Dublin-based aircraft by two, and will reduce five aircraft across four bases in Italy, including in Bergamo, Naples and Pisa. There will also be aircraft reductions in East Midlands (UK), Porto and Cologne.
The low-cost carrier said flight cancellations will take effect from the end of October and that affected passengers will be contacted by email “over the coming days” with the option to book alternative flights or receive a full refund.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said the carrier is "working closely" with Boeing to minimise delays.
“We are in regular dialogue with Boeing, and our primary objective is to ensure we get delivery of all 57 contracted B737 aircraft before the end of May 2024, so that Ryanair’s fleet can grow to over 600 aircraft for what will be our largest ever summer flight programme.”
O’Leary added that the current delay should not affect the carrier’s full-year traffic target of 183.5 million passengers, but if delays extend further into 2024, the figure may be adjusted “slightly downward”.