Delta, Ryanair Boeing orders in jeopardy?
Delta Air Lines may abandon an inherited order for 18 Boeing
787 Dreamliners, while Ryanair says talks for a new Boeing 737 order have broken down, according to media reports.
Delta inherited the 787 order when it merged with Northwest Airlines. But Flight International
reported Monday that Hank Halter, Delta's chief financial officer, said the carrier would invest in upgrading its existing fleet rather than ordering new aircraft.
This follows previous previous comments and filings that suggested the 787 order might be in trouble.
Meanwhile,
Reuters,
Bloomberg and
The Wall Street Journal quoted outspoken Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O'Leary as saying
Ryanair and Boeing reached agreement on the price for a deal to buy 200 aircraft, but talks broke down over the weekend because Boeing wanted to change delivery terms.
"We're going to make a final decision at the board meeting next Thursday," O'Leary told Reuters. "Unless there's some change in their position over the next week, it's off."
Airbus appears uninterested in trying to step in, with Chief Operating Officer John Leahy telling Bloomberg: "I would have no problem selling aircraft to O'Leary at reasonable prices, but I have not seen anything reasonable from him."
Bombardier's CSeries aircraft are too small for Ryanair's plans, O'Leary told Bloomberg.
Boeing spokesman Jim Condelles declined to comment on either order, citing company policy not to talk about its discussions with customers.