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Reuters
Ryanair has said it will be forced to cut the number of summer flights it operates next year as it predicted further delays before the Boeing 737 Max is allowed to fly again.
The airline said it could be as late as December before regulators clear the aircraft to return to the skies after two fatal crashes.
Ryanair is awaiting the delivery of 58 planes, but it only expects to receive just over half of those before summer.
It could also close bases as a result.
The airline said it was in talks with airports about which of its loss-making and underperforming bases could suffer cuts or closures.
Ryanair added that it would also talk to its people and unions about the planned closures, which it said were “directly caused” by the delays delivering the 737 Max.
The airline is now expecting to carry 157 million passengers in the year to March 2021, five million fewer than it had been planning for.