Ryanair may have the Boeing 737 MAX in time for summer after all. The airline's Chief Marketing Officer, Kenny Jacobs, said that the airline could start receiving the aircraft from April 2020 depending on certification requirements.

Ryanair is a major customer of the Boeing 737, not just the 737 MAX. In fact, over four percent of total Boeing 737 orders have been placed by the Irish low-cost giant. It was due to receive its first Boeing 737 MAX in April of last year, however, this date fell just one month after the grounding of the aircraft. As a result, the airline has not been able to expand as it had planned.

Earlier than expected?

The latest comments to Reuters from Jacobs could indicate that Ryanair could be getting the 737 MAX earlier than anticipated. Michael O'Leary, the airline's CEO, had previously warned that the Irish airline may not receive its first 737 MAX until October. At the time he told a German newspaper:

“We should have 58 machines by next summer. Then it went down to 30, then 20, then ten, and finally maybe only five. We may not get the first jets until October 2020.”

Ryanair, easyjet, Peter Bellew
Ryanair's strategy has proven successful over the last years. Photo: Getty Images

While one step below O'Leary, Jacobs will still be a huge part of the negotiations with Boeing regarding the aircraft's delivery. Today he told reporters in Madrid:

“We now think we will get it in March or April this year, looks more like April than March, and we think we will get up to 10 MAX aircraft”

Pending certification

As many will know, the Boeing 737 MAX is still pending recertification following two fatal crashes of the aircraft earlier this year. However, the specific variant of the aircraft that Boeing is building for Ryanair is required to undergo further testing and certification.

The aircraft's fuselage has an additional emergency exit behind the wing in order to accommodate the increased passenger numbers which Ryanair has planned to carry on the new aircraft.

The airline has labeled the 737 MAX as a gamechanger, which will further cut its CO2 emissions per passenger. The airline already achieves just 69 grams of CO2 per passenger per kilometer. This, Jacobs said, is the lowest in the industry, and half that of some other carriers.

Getty images boeing 737 MAx groundings
Regulators from around the world are examining the aircraft in detail. Photo: Getty Images

However, despite being dropped from 82 to 66g, Ryanair wants more, the Irish LCC is aiming to cut CO2 per passenger per kilometer within the next ten years. This will be achieved in two ways with the Boeing 737 MAX. It will increase passenger numbers meaning the CO2 per flight is split between more people. However, the improved engine technology of the MAX will also mean that the aircraft is emitting less CO2 into the atmosphere per flight, and per kilometer flown.

However, with no firm date on when the Boeing 737 MAX will be recertified, we don't know when Ryanair will start to see this drop in CO2 emissions.

Do you think that Ryanair will start to receive the Boeing 737 MAX in April? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!