Ryanair has placed an order for £10.3 billion worth of aircraft from Boeing, with 175 planes set to increase the budget airlines fleet by over a third.

The fleet increase comes as Ryanair seeks to raise passenger numbers to over 100 million per year by 2018.

For Boeing the deal is welcome news, following damage stemming from the Dreamliner 787’s battery complications which resulted in the entire 787 fleet being grounded, and the success of competitor airline Airbus, who received an order for $24 billion worth of planes by a Indonesian airline on Monday.

Ryanair CE Michael O'Leary said of the deal: "Hopefully it will help refocus people's minds on the fact that Boeing continues to deliver great aircraft and is growing strongly, rather than a minor issue on the 787."

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