‘Headless chickens’ Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary slams Boeing – ‘get their s* together’
Ryanair's Michael O’Leary slams UK government over Brexit
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Ryanair has ordered almost 400 jets from Boeing since 2010. O’Leary claimed that delivery delays on Boeing aircraft had forced Ryanair to change their summer flight schedule.
O’Leary said: “At the moment we think Boeing management is running around like headless chickens, not able to sell aircraft, and then even the aircraft they deliver, they’re not able to deliver them on time.”
He said Ryanair had had to scale back its spring and summer schedules because planes it had expected in April wouldn’t arrive until June.
He added: “I can understand why there may be various challenges manufacturing new aircraft but aircraft that you built and made two years ago that all you had to do was put petrol in them and f* fly them to Dublin, really I don’t understand why you’re taking two to three month delays on that.
“It is redolent of very poor management performance in Seattle.”
The CEO said Boeing makes great planes but needed to shake up its top management team.
He claimed: “Either the existing management needs to up its game, or they need to change the existing management, would be our view of life.
“We’re very happy to work with the existing management but they need to bloody well improve on what they’ve doing delivering to us over the last 12 months.
“We’re a willing customer, but we’re struggling with slow deliveries and an inability to do a deal on new aircraft despite the number of white tails they have sitting on the f* ground in Seattle.”
He added: “If they get their s* together, we’d be willing to take more aircraft for summer 2023 and 24. There’s growth to be won.”
The CEO yesterday warned passengers that they could see higher prices for summer holidays this year.
He said high demand for European beach holidays may drive up prices for summer travel.
O’Leary also said that passengers flying from Manchester airport would need to arrive early due to chaos.
However he said he expected the situation to improve before the peak period begins at the end of June.
He claimed that Ryanair was set for success and would be able to maintain its budget prices despite the current climate.
He added that the airline had recovered well after the pandemic and is hoping to carry 165 million passengers this year.
British tourists have faced chaotic scenes at airports this year due to staff shortages in critical areas.
A shortage of security staff has meant that passengers have faced long queues at Manchester and Birmingham airports.
Passengers also faced long queues at Palma airport in Majorca over the weekend, which many fear may also affect the summer season.
British tourists must get their passport stamped on entry and exit to the EU since the Brexit transition period ended.
Boeing has been contacted for comment.
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