Europe’s largest budget carrier accelerates three-year recruitment drive with massive investment in pilot training as Boeing’s 737 Max 10 approaches certification and delivery timeline firms up.
Ryanair is accelerating pilot recruitment over the next three years as Europe’s largest budget airline prepares to introduce Boeing’s 737 Max 10 aircraft to its fleet starting in spring 2027.
The Irish carrier will invest approximately âŦ25 million ($29 million) annually in cadet and first officer training, totaling âŦ75 million through the three-year program, the airline disclosed in a first-half financial briefing.
Boeing is expecting certification of the Max 10 â the largest variant in the 737 family â by mid-2026 and anticipates meeting Ryanair’s contracted delivery schedule for the carrier’s initial 15 aircraft, according to the airline.
“We need to accelerate cadet and first officer recruitment for the next three years,” Ryanair stated in the briefing, explaining that the training will increase first officer crewing ratios while building a “strong pool” of “home-grown” first officers prepared for promotion to captain positions when Max 10 deliveries ramp up between 2028 and 2030.
The recruitment push comes as Ryanair approaches completion of its existing order for 210 Boeing 737 Max 8-200 aircraft. Enhanced delivery schedules from Boeing have left the airline “confident” its final six aircraft from that order will arrive “well ahead” of next summer’s peak travel season.
During the first half of the fiscal year, Ryanair took delivery of 23 Max 8-200s. By late October, the carrier operated 204 of the type within a total fleet of 641 aircraft.
To strengthen operational resilience, Ryanair purchased 30 CFM International Leap-1B engines as spare powerplants. The airline had received half of those engines by Sept. 30.
The earlier-than-anticipated aircraft deliveries, combined with robust demand in the first half, prompted Ryanair to raise its full-year passenger forecast to approximately 207 million travelers.
Over the six-month period, the airline reported a 42% increase in net profit, reaching âŦ2.54 billion, while revenues climbed 13%.
However, Ryanair noted that while third-quarter advance bookings show “slightly ahead” of the prior year, the carrier faces a “more challenging” environment for fare increases. The airline said fare outcomes will depend on last-minute bookings during the Christmas travel period, and it will not benefit from Easter holiday traffic in the fourth quarter.
While declining to provide specific full-year profit projections, Ryanair indicated it expects to offset “all” of the previous year’s full-year fare declines and generate “reasonable” net profit growth for fiscal 2025-26.
Key Takeaways
- Ryanair will invest âŦ75 million over three years to accelerate pilot recruitment ahead of Boeing 737 Max 10 deliveries starting spring 2027.
- The carrier completed 204 of 210 Max 8-200 aircraft orders, with final six expected well ahead of next summer season.
- First-half net profit surged 42% to âŦ2.54 billion as passenger forecast increased to 207 million for full year.
- Airline purchased 30 spare CFM Leap-1B engines to bolster operational reliability amid industry-wide maintenance challenges.
- Despite strong bookings, Ryanair faces fare pressure and expects modest profit growth for fiscal 2025-26.
