Skift Take

The comments from Michael O'Leary are likely to add pressure on Boeing ahead of the peak summer season.

Gordon Smith

A shortage of aircraft could cause airfares to rise 10% in Europe this summer. The warning comes from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who also said routes could also be cut as airlines grapple with capacity shortages. 

Speaking to reporters, O’Leary forecast a "higher fare environment across Europe."

The issue for Ryanair is the Boeing 737 Max, with deliveries delayed from the U.S. manufacturer. The European budget carrier is one of Boeing’s biggest customers globally. It has hundreds of Boeing 737 planes in its fleet, and dozens more Max jets on order. 

O’Leary said that 57 Max planes were due to arrive at Ryanair by the end of next month. However, only 40 to 45 aircraft may be ready for the all-important summer season. 

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