The first of a new generation of Boeing 737 aircraft destined for Irish airline Ryanair has rolled off the production line at the US multinational's plant in Washington state.
Ryanair will begin taking delivery of the first of up to 200 Boeing 737 Max 8-200 that it has on order in spring 2019. The airline played a key role in the design of the aircraft, which can carry up to 200 passengers, a 4 per cent increase on the current model’s capacity, while burning 16 per cent less fuel.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief executive, hailed the craft as a “game changer” in 2014 when the company first announced it had ordered 100 of the new model from Boeing, with an option to take a further 100.
Ryanair’s order was worth $17 billion (€15bn) at “list” prices, although airlines get considerable discounts, particularly on large orders.