Overview

• U.S. Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi urged Ryanair to avoid Chinese-made COMAC jets, citing security and intellectual property concerns.
• Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary signaled willingness to consider Chinese aircraft if pricing proves competitive, raising geopolitical sensitivities.
• O’Leary also warned that Ryanair may delay Boeing jet deliveries if proposed U.S. tariffs increase costs for the airline.
• The U.S. aviation industry is lobbying for tariff exemptions to reinstate duty-free trade under the 1979 Civil Aircraft Agreement.
• COMAC’s C919, which entered service in 2023, represents a growing competitive threat to Boeing and Airbus in the narrow-body aircraft market.