Image courtesy of Boeing

Since taking delivery of its first Boeing 737-800 EI-CSA on March 19, 1999, Ryanair has become Boeing’s largest European customer for the Next-Generation 737. On 27 March 2018 the carrier achieved a significant milestone with the delivery of it’s 500th 737-800 registered EI-GJK.

Unlike previous delivery milestones the 500th 737-800 was a low key event with no press release issued by either Boeing or Ryanair. In a tweet Doug Alder Communications Manager Boeing 737 Program said “A huge congrats to our great airline customer & partner @Ryanair for taking delivery of their 500th 737! Amazing accomplishment. You help fuel our Renton production line each and every day!”.

The Dublin based carrier is the largest 737-800 global customer and the largest Boeing operator in Europe and is on average taking delivery of 25 aircraft of the type per year since 1999.

At the Paris Air Show July 2013 the carrier placed an order for 175 Boeing 737-800s valued at $15.6 billion at list prices for delivery between 2014 and 2018.  The Ryanair order enabled Boeing to bridge production between the Boeing 737 Next Generation and 737 MAX lines.

Key Delivery Milestones:

450th – March 2017
400th – 4 April 2016
375th – 11 November 2015
300th -1 March 2011
200th – 25 March 2009
100th – 7 March 2006

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