Summer holidays: Airlines including TUI, Ryanair and Wizz Air issue statement on flight cancellations amid shortage of Boeing planes and Airbus aircraft recalled

Summer holiday misery and fears of summer travel chaos have been hitting the headlines in recent days amid news Boeing is suffering a plane shortage crisis. The world’s largest aircraft leasing company, Avia Solutions, has warned that airlines in Europe could be forced to cancel flights this summer due to Boeing’s plane shortage following safety investigations into the firm. 

Boeing plane deliveries slowed down after a panel on an Alaska Airlines flight was ripped out mid air shortly after take-off in January leaving passengers fearing for their lives. Gediminas Ziemelis, chairman of Dublin-based Avia, told the Telegraph: “We’re seeing what I would call super-demand. The last time there was anything like this was when traffic rebounded after 9/11.

“Airlines are desperate for aircraft because of the production problems but the well is dry. I think in this dislocated system that cancellations are quite possible.”

NationalWorld has got in touch with major airlines to determine whether flights will be cancelled this summer due to the shortage of Boeing planes. Ryanair’s fleet is made up of various types of 737, with hundreds more on order. TUI’s fleet contains 21 of the 737 Max 8, and 30 of the 737-800. Jet2’s fleet consists of 112 aircraft; 99 are 737s. British Airways also flies with both Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

TUI has confirmed that there will be no changes to flights and services. Ryanair said it has nothing further to add to its previous comments when the airline announced that it is looking forward to continuing to work with Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and BCA CEO Stephanie Pope to eliminate the Boeing 737 delivery delays. 

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said: “We look forward to working with Stephanie Pope to accelerate B737 aircraft deliveries to customers, including Ryanair in Europe, for Summer and Autumn 2024. We also look forward to continuing to work with Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and CFO Brian West, and to helping Boeing recover its aircraft deliveries so that Ryanair can continue to grow strongly as Boeing’s no.1 customer here in Europe.”

Aircraft manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has also recalled hundreds of engines used in short-haul Airbuses, worsening the plane shortage impacting the industry. Wizz Air is one of the airlines that use Airbus aircraft. It told NationalWorld that it is “not expecting further changes related to engine inspections.”

A Wizz Air spokesperson said: "Wizz Air has finalised its schedule in the UK for the summer and we are not expecting further changes related to engine inspections. We have implemented several measures to ensure our schedule remains stable this summer. Customers should feel confident with their decision to book and fly with Wizz Air."

EasyJet doesn’t operate Boeing aircraft, and only operates Airbus aircraft that do not have any Pratt and Whitney engines. NationalWorld has contacted Jet2 and British Airways for comment.