Chief Executive Michael O'Leary has said he was hopeful of receiving 40 to 45 of 51 Boeing MAX aircraft due for delivery by the summer, up from a previous forecast of 40.

"I have to say credit where credit's due and things are improving," Sorahan told the AirFinance Journal conference in Dublin. "That's not to say that we won't be a few aircraft short from the peak somewhere but I'm more confident than I was."

(Writing by Conor Humphries. Editing by Jane Merriman)