Ryanair is once again considering the possibility of bringing Airbus aircraft back into its fleet, after Group CEO Michael O’Leary confirmed in an interview with Aviation Week that preliminary talks have begun regarding a renewal of Lauda’s A320 fleet. Speaking onboard a flight between Bratislava and Vienna, O’Leary said he would gladly place an order for 50 Airbus jets, a move that would both replace Lauda’s current A320ceo fleet and support further expansion of the Austrian subsidiary. He added that Ryanair’s interest in Airbus “is real,” while joking that Airbus executives “don’t trust” him because they believe any offer would be shown to Boeing – “and of course it will,” he said.
According to Aviation Week, the biggest challenge remains Airbus’ fully booked production line, with delivery slots unavailable until 2031 or even 2032. O’Leary said Ryanair can only act when the next industry downturn arrives, creating an opportunity for better pricing and more favorable conditions. When asked about specific models, he noted that it makes no difference whether the aircraft is an A320neo, A321neo, or an older Ceo version, new or second-hand – the only metric that matters is the lowest possible cost per seat. If Airbus is unable to provide enough aircraft, he said Ryanair will simply deploy Boeing 737s into Lauda’s network.
O’Leary firmly rejected the possibility of expanding Lauda’s fleet through leasing companies, which he described as “the cocaine dealers of the industry,” arguing that such arrangements are too expensive for low-cost carriers. Lauda’s current fleet, as reported by the Aviation Week Fleet Discovery database, remains very cost-efficient thanks to post-pandemic leasing agreements that were renegotiated and extended until 2028–2029. The average age of Lauda’s 25 A320ceo aircraft is 17.6 years.
Ryanair expects to close 2025 with a fleet of 660 aircraft, with the final four 737-8-200s arriving in early 2026. A pause in deliveries will follow until the delayed 737-10 receives certification and begins arriving in spring 2027. O’Leary says Boeing is becoming “more optimistic by the day,” predicting certification of the MAX 7 and MAX 10 in the second and early third quarter of next year. He also praised the significantly improved quality of Wichita-produced fuselages, noting that this speeds up final assembly in Seattle.
Despite O’Leary’s confident statements, there is a degree of caution within the company. Some members of Ryanair’s management privately acknowledge that such public announcements may also be intended to energize shareholders and stimulate an uptick in the company’s stock price, particularly during periods when Ryanair aims to reinforce market confidence. As one source told Aviation Week, these declarations should be viewed within the broader context of O’Leary’s characteristic communication style.
