Ryanair promises more leg room on new Boeing planes despite adding eight more seats


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Ryanair has ordered a new fleet of aircraft and is promising more leg room for passengers despite squeezing in eight additional seats.

The new Boeing 737 Max 200 aircraft has a capacity of 200 but the budget airline plans to fit the planes with 197 seats – eight more than its current fleet of Boeing 737-800s.

The aircraft have the same dimensions but controversial Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary promised passengers will be more comfortable in the 737 Max planes thanks to slimmer seats and smaller toilets and galleys in a redesigned fuselage that includes an additional emergency exit.

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New era: Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair (left), and Ray Conner, President and CEO of The Boeing Company, shake hands after signing a contract announcing the first sales of Boeing's new 737 Max 200

New era: Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair (left), and Ray Conner, President and CEO of The Boeing Company, shake hands after signing a contract announcing the first sales of Boeing's new 737 Max 200

There are currently 30 inches between the front of one seat and the front of the next, and the space is expected to increase slightly on the new jets, which will have less cabin space.

The details were part of the no-frills airline's announcement that it has agreed to purchase up to 200 of the new 'game-changer' jets from Boeing.

The deal will be worth as much as £22bn as Ryanair plans a massive expansion into existing and new markets with an eye on keeping costs low.

Mr O'Leary, chief executive of Europe's largest budget airline, said the 737 Max aircraft contain new features that will trim its operating costs by around 20 per cent.

He said the savings will be passed on to customers via lower fares.

With more efficient and quieter engines, the 737 Max will reduce the airline's fuel consumption by up to 18 per cent and the eight additional seats will bring in extra cash.

With an expanding fleet that can hold more people, Ryanair is expecting to grow from over 82million passengers in 2014 to over 150million by 2024 when all of the planes are in service.

Ryanair predicted that the additional seats would be worth £62,000 per plane a year.

Having 197 seats instead of 200 will help the airline keep its costs down as one flight attendant is required for every 50 passengers. By avoiding a configuration of 200 seats, the airline will not have to hire additional cabin crew members. 

'Gamechanger': Boeing claims its 737 Max 200 will reduce the company's normal fuel consumption by 18 per cent, along with reducing noise emissions by 40 per cent

'Gamechanger': Boeing claims its 737 Max 200 will reduce the company's normal fuel consumption by 18 per cent, along with reducing noise emissions by 40 per cent

Speaking at a press conference in New York where he and Boeing Commercial Airplanes chief executive Ray Conner signed the deal, Mr O'Leary said the new aircraft would usher in a 'new era' of price wars in Europe.

He said: 'I feel like a child who has woken up on Christmas morning unwrapping his presents and finding out that Santa Claus has given him exactly what he has asked for.

'This is the aircraft we have been waiting for in Ryanair for probably 10 years now. It is going to mark a step change in improving Ryanair's efficiency.

'It means that we're going to expand and grow very strongly in Europe, both in new markets and in going in and taking traffic away from incumbent carriers.

'I hope it will hasten in an era of a new price war in Europe over the next 10 years, which like all the old price wars, Ryanair will win.' 

Expansion: Michael O'Leary said the deal would reduce Ryanair's operating costs by 20 per cent and would lead to cheaper air fares for passengers

Expansion: Michael O'Leary said the deal would reduce Ryanair's operating costs by 20 per cent and would lead to cheaper air fares for passengers

With its growing fleet, Ryanair plans take market share from legacy carriers such as Lufthansa, SAS, British Airways and Alitalia.

It also hopes to add flights to the destinations it currently services and expand to new markets in North Africa, Israel and the Gulf States.  

Ryanair is the 737 Max's first customer and has a firm deal for 100 jets and an option to purchase an additional 100. They will go into service starting in 2019.

The 737 Max aircraft features the company's 'Boeing Sky Interior', which features sculpted sidewalls, LED lighting that 'enhances the sense of spaciousness' and larger pivoting overhead stowage bins.

This week, Ryanair is taking delivery of the first of 180 new 737-800 aircraft that were previously ordered, boosting its fleet from 304 to 420 by 2019.

Taking on the new 737 Max will help Ryanair to expand its fleet to 520 by 2024, nearly doubling its annual passengers. 

Mr O'Leary said that he expects the company to create 3,000 jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers across Europe as it expands.

He said: 'As many of Europe's flag carriers cut capacity on short-haul routes, Ryanair looks forward to using these new Boeing 737 Max 200 aircraft to grow at many more of Europe's primary airports.'

Mr Conner said: 'The 737 Max 200 is the perfect fit for Ryanair, providing improved efficiencies, 20 per cent lower emissions, increased revenues and a high level of passenger comfort.' 

 



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