Ryanair scales back winter flights after Boeing delivery delays

Low-cost airline Ryanair said the delayed delivery of new Boeing planes means it will have to cut it winter schedule.

The company had expected to receive 27 aircraft between September and December, but production delays at the Spirit Fuselage facility in Wichita, along with Boeing's repair and delivery delays in Seattle, has reduced that number to just 14 between October and December.

As such, Ryanair is reducing the number of Charleroi-based aircraft by three, Dublin-based aircraft by two, and will reduce five aircraft across four Italian bases, including Bergamo, Naples and Pisa. There will also be aircraft reductions in East Midlands, Porto, and Cologne.

Cancellations will start from the end of October, and passengers affected will be offered reaccommodation on alternative flights or full refunds.

"Ryanair apologises for these unavoidable reductions in its Winter 2023 schedule," the company said in a statement. "Ryanair has no spare aircraft this winter as scheduled maintenance is necessary across our full fleet of over 550 aircraft in order to have them all serviceable for its largest ever summer 2024 schedule."

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said the outcome was "deeply regrettable" and the airline remains in "regular dialogue" with Boeing. "We apologise sincerely to passengers for any inconvenience caused by these delivery delays this winter," he added.