Quote:Quote:
RYANAIR has placed an $18bn (€14bn) order with Boeing to buy up to 200 aircraft, the Irish Independent has learned.
The mammoth order – due to be confirmed by US President Barack Obama and Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the White House next week – is the single biggest aircraft purchase ever agreed by Ryanair. It's also one of the biggest orders ever placed with Seattle-based manufacturer Boeing.
It means Ryanair has all but thrown in the towel in its seven-year battle to buy Aer Lingus, and will now focus once more on its own long-term expansions efforts. A spokesman for the airline declined to comment.
The EU blocked Ryanair's third Aer Lingus takeover attempt two weeks ago.
The order will be used to replace some existing aircraft in Ryanair's fleet, but it means the carrier will be in a position to extend its footprint to even more corners of Europe and outside the region.
Ryanair is on target to carry 80 million passengers in the year to the end of this month, and is in talks with as many as 60 airports about either adding services or flying to them for the first time.
http://www.independent.ie/business/irish...23271.html
Other further reaches of the EE are about to be attacked.
Maybe this is a good thing in the short term?
But in the long term bad?
Thoughts?