Ryanair is being tipped to shun Boeing in favour of cheaper Chinese built aircraft.
A deal is expected to be sealed with the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China at the Paris Airshow. This suggests the Irish no-frills giant may opt in the future for a lower cost alternative aircraft to its current supplier Boeing.
The agreement, which is due to be announced today, is believed to involve the airline advising on development of the Comac C919 being designed to compete with the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 when it enters service in 2016.
Ryanair is not expected to commit to orders for the Chinese short haul aircraft but will have the chance to tailor the C919 to its specifications. The carrier currently runs a fleet of more than 270 B737s.