At the Ryanair subsidiary Lauda Europe, numerous leasing contracts for the fleet of 2022 Airbus A29 will expire towards the end of 320. CEO Michael O'Leary has now announced that the contracts will be extended to 2028. No decision has yet been made on a possible successor model.

Lauda Europe is the successor to the former Austrian airline Laudamotion, which emerged from the Air Berlin subsidiary Niki. There are currently bases in Vienna, Palma de Mallorca, Zagreb, Zadar and London-Stansted. The 29 Airbus jets wear a Lauda livery, but - apart from charter flights - they fly almost exclusively in wet leases for the sister company Ryanair DAC.

Michael O'Leary wants to stick to the “fleet mix”. He sees it as an advantage to have both Airbus and Boeing aircraft available. At the same time, the manager added that as the leases for the A320 fleet are renewed, costs will decrease, as the lessors are interested in long-term cooperation.

At the same time, the Ryanair CEO indicated that it is also of a strategic nature, because if you get a cheap price for the A320neo directly from the manufacturer or via Lessoren, then you will strike. You also have a better negotiating position with Boeing. It has now been decided to extend the contracts for the 29 A320s and is in final talks with the aircraft owners. For the time after 2028 no decisions have been made and the market is looking for possibilities. Basically, according to Michael O'Leary, it "doesn't matter" to him whether Lauda Europe flies with Airbus or Boeing machines, as long as the production costs are right. He denied repeated reports that it had already been decided that Lauda Europe should be relocated to a Boeing 737-Max-200.