by Donald Wood
Last updated: 12:44 PM ET, Tue July 30, 2019
As a result of the continued grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX fleet, Ryanair officials have announced the low-cost carrier could be forced to cut jobs and lower growth prospects for next year.
According to CNBC.com, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said Monday during a conference call the airline expected 58 of the Boeing planes to be delivered by summer 2020, but grounding has pushed back growth plan considerably.
"It may well move to 20, it could move to 10, and it could well move to zero if Boeing don't get their s--- together pretty quickly with the regulator," O'Leary said during the earnings call.
O'Leary said he expects Boeing to submit its return-to-service changes in October, but officials from the airplane manufacturer said it is currently testing the software and will present the fixes to the Federal Aviation Administration in September.
"Safety is our first priority," Boeing spokesman Charles Bickers told CNBC. "We regret the impact that the grounding is having on our customers as we work with the regulatory authorities to safely return the MAX to service."
In addition to questions being raised by Ryanair, Southwest Airlines has been forced to remove the grounded 737 MAX planes from its schedule until early January. As for American Airlines, officials announced last week the grounding would cost an estimated $400 million in pretax earnings this year.
As for Boeing, the company revealed $4.9 billion in losses for the second quarter as it continues to compensate impacted 737 MAX customers and families of victims killed in two fatal crashes involving the aircraft.
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