Ryanair's Lone Outlier: The 737-700 With a Surprisingly Varied History

Ryanair's fleet of 650 aircraft includes an unusual outlier - one Boeing 737-700. This plane stands out from the rest, not just because it has fewer seats and is shorter in length than its peers. According to the data, the 737-700 has only 148 seats and measures nearly 19 feet (6 meters) less than Ryanair's larger 737-800s.

The Boeing 737-700 has had a diverse career with the airline, having been used for pilot training, corporate charters, reserve duties, scheduled passenger flights, and holiday charter operations. So, why does Europe's largest low-cost carrier still need such a fleet outlier?