Ryanair has signed a purchase agreement with CFM International for 30 LEAP-1B spare engines. The move aims to support the airline’s growing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
CFM International is a joint venture between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. It has supplied engines to Ryanair since 1998. Ryanair now operates the largest fleet of CFM-powered Boeing planes in Europe.
Michael O’Leary, Ryanair CEO, said the deal strengthens the airline’s long-term partnership with CFM. “This purchase of 30 LEAP-1B spare engines is a key investment in boosting the operational reliability of our Group airlines,” he said. “These advanced engines reduce fuel use and CO2 emissions by up to 20% per seat on our 737 MAX aircraft. That helps us maintain our cost advantage over other European carriers.”
Ryanair currently operates 181 Boeing 737-8-200 aircraft powered by LEAP-1B engines. The airline still expects delivery of 29 more planes from a 2014 order. In 2023, Ryanair placed a new order for LEAP-1B engines to power 150 firm and 150 optional Boeing 737-10 aircraft.
The CFM LEAP engine family has logged nearly 30 million flight hours and 12 million flight cycles since it entered service. Compared to older CFM56 engines, LEAP engines cut fuel use and CO2 emissions by 15% and generate less noise.
Ryanair Holdings plc is Europe’s largest airline group. It includes Buzz, Lauda, Malta Air, Ryanair, and Ryanair UK. The Group operates around 3,600 daily flights from 93 bases, serving over 230 airports in 37 countries. It carries about 206 million passengers annually using a fleet of nearly 620 aircraft. Ryanair has over 330 new Boeing 737 aircraft on order and plans to grow annual traffic to 300 million passengers by fiscal year 2034.
