*

Does not expect any delays to MAX 10

*

Ryanair would like to have 'significant Airbus operation'

(Updates with O'Leary saying he would like a significant Airbus

operation)

By Conor Humphries

DUBLIN, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Ryanair is confident of

receiving its first of 150 737 MAX 10 jets from Boeing ( BA ) on

schedule in early 2027 but is also keen to boost the number of

Airbus in its fleet when the chance arises, Group Chief

Executive Michael O'Leary said on Thursday.

Ryanair currently has around 600 Boeing 737 jets in its

fleet and around 26 Airbus jets, operated by its Lauda

subsidiary.

The MAX 10, the largest jet in the 737 family should be

certified by the third quarter of 2026 and Boeing ( BA ) has promised

the first Ryanair delivery in the spring of 2027, O'Leary told a

news conference.

"They've written to us confirming they expect to deliver

those Max 10s to us in the spring of 2027... We do not believe

there will be any delays to our first (delivery)," O'Leary told

a news conference.

O'Leary said last month that he was "optimistic, but not

confident" on the timing of the first tranche of 150 MAX 10 jets

it has on order. His more upbeat assessment followed a

conversation two weeks ago with Boeing ( BA ) commercial airplanes head

Stephanie Pope.

Ryanair has never made a significant order from Airbus, but

that could change in the coming years, O'Leary said.

"We have 600 Boeings today, 30 Airbuses. I would like to see

that grow in the next number of years to maybe 800 Boeings, but

maybe 200 Airbuses," O'Leary said in an interview after the news

conference. "I'd like to see us have a significant Airbus

operation."

The leases on the current Airbus jets run out in 2028, at

which point Ryanair hopes to either do a deal for new Airbus

aircraft for Lauda or find younger secondhand aircraft.

Ryanair would wait for an industry crisis of some kind

before placing a large Airbus order, he said, possibly in the

late 2020s or early 2030s.