Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has firmly refused to apologize following backlash over his decision to describe rival airlines as “high-fare rapists.” The comments were made on Thursday during a media briefing held ahead of the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
When questioned by a reporter from the Press Association about the appropriateness of his language, O’Leary insisted the term was used to highlight that passengers are “desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.” He further stated he would “happily offend” competitors like British Airways and Lufthansa regarding their pricing structures.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) subsequently wrote to O’Leary, with chief executive Rachel Morrogh accusing him of using inflammatory language to generate headlines. Morrogh noted that the organization had received calls from distressed survivors of sexual violence and offered O’Leary training on the impact of such trauma, urging him to issue an apology.
In his response, O’Leary maintained that his remarks did not “trivialise the heinous crime of rape” and explicitly stated he would not be issuing an apology or accepting the offer of training.
The rhetoric drew sharp criticism from government officials. Ireland’s deputy premier, Simon Harris, characterized the language as “clearly an inappropriate use of language,” adding that O’Leary should have taken steps to rectify the situation. Similarly, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told LBC that such comments would likely alienate potential customers, stating that victims of sexual violence are “not going to be rushing to book tickets with him.”
O’Leary has a history of using provocative language when discussing business matters. In 2004, he referred to the owners of Stansted Airport as “a bunch of overcharging rapists” during a dispute over airport fees. His track record also includes calling some of his own staff “lazy bastards” and telling passengers seeking refunds that the company did not want to hear their “sob stories.”
In a separate regulatory matter, O’Leary announced in June that the airline would “reluctantly” cease charging parents for seating next to their children following the launch of a watchdog investigation, though he maintained that the previous policy had remained compliant with existing laws. The report also notes that i can’t imagine you would ever use the term so flippantly again if you truly understood [what] it was like to survive rape,” she wrote. The report also notes that it is not the first time O’Leary has offended people while talking about his business. The report also notes that in 2004, he reportedly called the owners of Stansted Airport “a bunch of overcharging rapists”, external in a row over airport charges.
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