News FAQBlick aufs Festland

Dangerous Steps: How risky are Ryanair's retractable 737 stairs?

Safety concerns around retractable stairs on 737s in Mallorca

Explore why retractable stairs can raise safety concerns on Mallorca-bound flights and how to stay safe.

Published: September 03, 2026
Dangerous Steps: How risky are Ryanair's retractable 737 stairs?

Answer

Are Ryanair's retractable stairs on Boeing 737s a safety risk for Mallorca-bound passengers?

A recent flight-safety authority report notes that since 2021 several hundred passengers have been injured on metal stairs of internal aircraft stairs; in Italy alone, over a hundred injuries were reported in 2023–2025, and the data suggest the risk with retractable stairs is higher than with fixed airport stairs. The stairs on a 737 have twelve steps, are under 61 cm wide, with about 20 cm per step and a ~35° incline, and the top step is trapezoidal, all of which can raise misstep risk. These factors matter for Mallorca-bound flights, especially during busy holiday periods.

More questions on this topic

Related follow-up questions from the same article, collected in one place.