Ryanair: Deal likely off for 200 Boeing jets

Published 7:28 am Tuesday, December 8, 2009

It looks like Ryanair won’t buy 200 Boeing aircraft after all.

In media interviews Tuesday, Ryanair’s chief executive said that talks with Boeing for a 200-jet deal have broken down. The Ireland-based airline planned to use the jets to expand in 2013.

But the low-cost carrier may be forced to scrap its plans if it can’t reach an agreement with the Chicago-based Boeing by next Thursday, when Ryanair’s board meets.

“We have effectively almost reached agreement on price for a 200-aircraft order … but the deal is unlikely to take place because now they want to go back and change delivery conditions,” Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, told Reuters in an interview.

Ryanair has no plans to turn to Airbus instead, O’Leary said.