(Bloomberg) -- Ryanair Holdings Plc expects a strike at Boeing Co. to delay its aircraft deliveries by about six weeks, meaning that some planes earmarked for the first half of next year will slip into the back end of 2025.
The strike, which brought Boeing factories producing the 737 aircraft to a standstill last week, is likely to last for another three to four weeks, pushing back deliveries by another two weeks after the walkout, Ryanair Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary said on Tuesday. As many as 10 jet deliveries expected in the first six months of next year could slip into the second half, he said.
“We have two aircraft ready to be delivered in Seattle, which now will not get delivered because the strike started last Friday and they all walked out,” O’Leary said in an interview in Milan.
About 33,000 workers at Boeing’s main sites in the Seattle area voted last week to reject a new labor accord and go on strike. Boeing has said it’s willing to get back to the negotiating table, but it’s unclear how long and disruptive a strike might be.
Ryanair management met with Boeing in Seattle last week to talk about the impact of the strike, O’Leary said. The Irish airline, one of Boeing’s key customers, will miss its annual target to carry 205 million passengers this year, instead expecting to hit 200 million passengers because of the jet delays, he added.
“It’s just another delay with Boeing,” O’Leary said.
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