Boeing, Ryanair Announce Order for Three Additional Next-Generation 737-800s Irish low-cost carrier now has 274 unfilled orders for 737s

DUBLIN, March 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Ryanair have announced an order for three Next-Generation 737-800s. The order, previously unidentified on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website, is valued at $280 million at current list prices. With this order the Irish low-cost carrier now has unfilled orders for 174 Next-Generation 737-800s and 100 737 MAX 200s.

"We are pleased to announce the purchase of three more Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft, which will be delivered in early 2016, bringing our total recent orders to 183 737-800s, in addition to further orders for up to 200 'gamechanger' Boeing 737 MAX 200 aircraft," said Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair. "These Boeing aircraft orders will allow us to expand our fleet to over 520 aircraft and to increase our traffic to 160 million customers per annum by 2024, creating some 10,000 new positions for pilots, cabin crew and engineers, as we continue to grow tourism, routes and jobs across Europe."

The 737-800 is the best-selling version of the highly successful Next-Generation 737 family, the most reliable and technologically advanced airplanes in the single-aisle market. Ryanair operates the largest all-Boeing fleet in Europe with more than 300 737-800s in service and is the biggest customer for the airplane type, ordering more than 530 throughout its history. The Dublin based airline is also the launch customer for the newest member of the 737 MAX family of airplanes, the 737 MAX 200, finalizing an order for 100 airplanes last year, with options for 100 more.

"As the biggest customer in the world for the Next-Generation 737-800, Ryanair fully understands the economic value of this airplane, building its business on the 737's superb efficiencies and unmatched reliability," said Todd Nelp, vice president of European Sales, Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Headquartered in Ireland's capital city, Ryanair operates more than 1,600 flights daily from 72 bases, connecting 189 destinations in 30 countries. With a team of more than 9,700 highly skilled professionals, the airline flew more than 86 million passengers in 2014.