The Ryanair Group has relied almost exclusively on the Boeing 737 for decades. With the purchase of the then Laudamotion, Airbus A320s also joined the group fleet. Since then, managers have expressed contradictions about the future of this type of aircraft, which almost seems a little “exotic” given the small number of units produced.

For many years only Boeing 737-800s were in the air for Ryanair. The uniform fleet has the advantage, for example, that the machines can be interchanged at will. In the event of a short-term exchange, nothing changes in terms of capacity. The successor model Boeing 737-Max-200 is currently in the fleet phase. B737-Max-10s will also be added in the foreseeable future. But what happens to the Airbus A320s operated by Lauda Europe?

Shortly after the takeover of the then Laudamotion, it was stated several times that negotiations were underway with the European aircraft manufacturer about ordering the A320neo and A321neo. Short version: Nothing has been ordered so far - neither directly from Airbus nor through a lessor. However, the leasing contracts of the existing A320ceo fleet have been repeatedly extended.

A few months ago, Ryanair published its fleet strategy until the middle of the next decade. This showed that there are no long-term plans for the Airbus A320. This means that Lauda Europe will gradually return the affected jets to the Lessors. CEO Michael O'Leary has repeatedly said that Lauda Europe should switch to Boeing 737s unless they can get an Airbus A320neo cheaply. Lauda Europe boss David O'Brien said in an interview with Aviation.Direct some time ago that the carrier he leads would first have to earn new aircraft such as the Boeing 737-Max internally.

At least in the past few months, it looked as if everything had been decided regarding the future of the Lauda Europe fleet and that this carrier would also fly with Boeing 737-Max in the future. However, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said in an interview with Simple Flying that that was exactly not the plan. Rather, the aim is to extend the leasing contracts again or to look for other used Airbus A320s on the global market. He also announced that the fleet would grow to 50 machines.

It would only be a kind of “Plan B” that Lauda Europe could be switched to Boeing 737s. Michael O'Leary points to the high costs that would be incurred for the retraining of flying personnel. He has in mind that Lauda Europe will be sent on a growth path with Airbus A320 and possibly also Airbus A321. With regard to brand-new machines, however, he admitted that the production slots have been fully booked for years. So it will come down to used aircraft, initially Ceo models.

Michael O'Leary also hopes that within the next five to ten years he can conclude a deal with Airbus that will lead to the purchase of new Neo models from the factory. Used units should be leased as a bridge. If it is not possible to get the desired number of around 50 units, Lauda Europe will have to switch to Boeing 737s. Michael O'Leary only wants to take this step if it absolutely has to, because he wants to hold on to the A320 fleet and even expand it in the future.

During a press conference held in Vienna, the Ryanair CEO said that the leasing rates for the Lauda aircraft currently in use would be extremely cheap. Some Lessors even asked whether the jets could be returned early. The engine problems with the Neo models as well as constant delivery delays from competitor Boeing mean that used A320ceo are currently in high demand. As a result, lessors can lease them at expensive rates. However, Michael O'Leary wants to pay as little as possible, so it is clear that it is not about the availability of additional A320ceos on the global market, but about whether they can be had at the desired price. In summary: If Michael O'Leary cannot get enough A320ceos at a bargain price, then Lauda Europe will be switched to Boeing 737-Max. Otherwise, Lauda Europe should expand with A320ceo/A321ceo and switch to Neo models in the future.

Overview of the Ryanair Group fleet: