Ryanair CEO plans to expand Airbus A320 fleet for Lauda Europe

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has revealed plans to order several dozen Airbus A320 aircraft to expand the fleet of subsidiary Lauda Europe.

Despite Ryanair’s traditional reliance on Boeing 737 aircraft for its uniform fleet, O’Leary aims to grow Lauda Europe’s current fleet of 27 A320s to 50 aircraft of the same type. This decision reflects a strategy to streamline operations and minimise costs associated with spare parts, crew training, and maintenance.

While the A320s were initially introduced to the Ryanair Group through the acquisition of Lauda Europe, O’Leary intends to retain them rather than replace them with 737s, citing additional expenses that would be incurred through crew retraining.

However, due to Airbus’s existing orders backlog, new A320 deliveries are not expected until 2030, prompting O’Leary to explore options to extend lease contracts for existing A320s until then.