Ryanair mulling massive order of 400 jets

Ryanair, Europe's biggest low-cost airline, is all set to place a massive aircraft order for 300-400 short-haul jets and repeat its feat of six years ago and when it placed one of the biggest aircraft orders with Boeing.

Michael Cawley, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer for Ryanair said the carrier was in early talks with Boeing and Airbus for an order for 300-400 short-haul jets. The order, when placed, will be one of the biggest purchases of new aircraft.

Cawley said he expected the order to be placed sometime over the next two years.

Ryanair's previous order for 100 aircraft and 50 options in January 2002 was placed at the bottom of the last recession in the aviation industry and ensured it handsome discounts from a desperate Boeing. It was Boeing's largest ever order for 737 jets.

Boeing and Airbus have already forecast a bleak scenario for 2009 expecting orders to plummet to about a quarter of the historic peak of 2007, when both manufacturers together secured 2,800 orders.

Ryanair operates a single type fleet of 181 Boeing 737-800s, which will increase to 292 by March 2012 keeping firm orders in mind.

Though Ryanair has emulated Southwest's operational model and maintained itself as a single type fleet, saving on maintenance, parts and training costs, it feels it has now attained a size which allows it to diversify its fleet.