If you just remember one thing from this briefing…
Boeing's MAX 10 certification hands Ryanair a 300-aircraft growth lever that Airbus could not supply.
The FAA certified the 737 MAX 10 on 20 October, four years late, clearing deliveries to Ryanair's 150 firm
aircraft plus 150 options from spring 2027 — the first capacity lever outside Airbus's order book for
Europe's largest low-cost carrier. Ask your team: does our 2027 plan still assume Airbus as the only
growth option?
Priority14 Oct
Belgian national strike grounds Brussels and Charleroi departures
A nationwide pension-reform strike grounded all departures at Brussels and Charleroi on 14 October,
disrupting an estimated 70,000 passengers. It followed a smaller 9 October walkout that cancelled
around 140 flights after a ground handler cut staffing.
So what: national strikes now hit aviation directly, not just through handling
contracts. Confirm your Belgian ground exposure and build the rebooking plan before the next notice.
Watch17 – 19 Oct
Barcelona Groundforce strike ends, but the dispute is not settled
The CGT union called off its ten-week indefinite strike at Groundforce, handler for close to 20
airlines at Barcelona-El Prat, on 17 October after a deal on shift lengths and workload reviews. Three
dismissed staff remain unreinstated, and CGT began fresh terminal protests on 19 October.
So what: a ten-week dispute over, but not closed. Protest risk at Spain's
fourth-busiest airport can resume on short notice; keep contingency plans live through winter.
Priority20 Oct
FAA certifies the Boeing 737 MAX 10, clearing Ryanair's growth order
The FAA granted final certification to the 737 MAX 10 around 20 October, four years after Boeing's
original target, after a campaign of nearly 1,000 test flights. Ryanair holds 150 firm orders plus 150
options and still expects first delivery in spring 2027.
So what: a bottleneck on European low-cost growth has eased. Revisit 2027–28
seat-cost and delivery assumptions now Boeing has a credible narrowbody alternative in build.
Watch16 Oct
UK CAA data show Heathrow and Gatwick traffic still softening
CAA figures released 16 October put August Heathrow traffic at 7.87 million passengers, down 2 per
cent, and Gatwick at 4.61 million, down 1 per cent. Gatwick's first-half total fell 4.7 per cent, which
it attributes largely to the Middle East conflict's effect on long-haul routes.
So what: two straight quarters of Middle East-driven softness at the UK's two
largest hubs. Stress-test winter long-haul yields against a conflict showing no sign of resolving.
