Low-cost Irish airline Ryanair may soon sign off on a deal to buy at least 150, and up to 200, Boeing 737 passenger jets, Reuters reports.
The deal would give the carrier’s existing fleet a serious upgrade and provide aerospace manufacturer Boeing with a financial foothold as it manages the fallout over 787 Dreamliner safety concerns. It also helps Boeing plug the gap in demand between now and 2017, when the next-generation 737 Max enters service.
It’s no surprise the famously efficient carrier would act now; the penny-pinching airline known for its bargain fares and ubiquitous additional fees — translation: laser focus on the relationship between supply, demand and market price — is no doubt taking advantage of the dropping demand (and thus value) of the current generation 737 model.
The deal is expected to close sometime this year; no word on whether Ryanair will charge Boeing with a credit card fee upon closing the deal.
