Irish airline Ryanair has warned it may reconsider its multibillion-dollar aircraft deal with Boeing if proposed US tariffs significantly raised the cost of US-made jets.
In a letter to the Democratic Party Senator Raja Krishnamoorthi, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary criticised the US President Donald Trump’s “ill-judged” plan to add tariffs to aviation exports.
If such measures drove up Boeing jet prices, O’Leary made clear the airline would “reassess” its aircraft deal and could look elsewhere.
“If these tariffs materially affect the price of Boeing aircraft exports to Europe,” O’Leary wrote. “We would certainly reassess both our current Boeing orders and the ability to place those orders elsewhere.”
In March 2025, Ryanair reaffirmed a $40 billion investment in Boeing, making it the largest European consumer of US planes that, by its own estimates, supported “over 30,000 US jobs”.
That transatlantic partnership now looked in peril, as protectionist moves from Washington echoed across the global aviation sector.
With 29 Boeing 737 MAX 8 200s and 150 larger MAX 10s still pending delivery, the Irish carrier has plenty of leverage.
Ryanair’s potential pivot toward China was driven by market realities. With Boeing’s only serious rival in the West, Airbus, fully booked until at least 2030, the Irish airline was running out of choices.
The Chinese State-backed manufacturer COMAC has never sold a plane to a Western airline and its flagship C919 has only been applied for certification in Europe, not in the US.
“We have not had any discussions with COMAC since around 2011,” O’Leary wrote, before adding that Ryanair would “of course” consider buying Chinese jets, especially if they came in at 10 per cent to 20 per cent cheaper than Boeing or Airbus alternatives.
Ryanair’s warning was not the only setback facing the US aircraft manufacturer.
A few weeks ago, China ordered its airlines to halt new Boeing purchases in retaliation to the US tariffs.
