Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, issued an apology on Friday for controversially likening rival European airlines that impose high fares to “rapists” during a press conference last week.
O’Leary, known for his candid remarks, expressed that he was “truly sorry” for the “considerable upset and offense” his comments caused.
At a press event in Dublin, he made a striking analogy by comparing Ryanair’s competitors to sex offenders due to their elevated ticket prices.
O’Leary stated, “Some people might choose to avoid Ryanair, but they will probably find themselves opting out of Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA [British Airways], and others, who are high-fare rapists in Europe,” highlighting how travelers might flock to Ryanair’s lower fares.
When journalists pointed out the potential trivialization of rape, he stood firm, reiterating, “That’s how I refer to high-fare airlines like Lufthansa and BA,” as reported by the Mirror.
However, upon reflection and after talks with family and friends over the past ten days, O’Leary acknowledged that an apology was warranted.
In a video shared by Virgin Media News, he said, “I was asked if I was making light of rape. I asserted my strong belief that it’s a serious and terrible crime that should never be trivialized. I thought I was clear about that.”
Yet, he later admitted that his careless choice of words caused significant distress to many, especially to victims and survivors. “I sincerely apologize for the offense I’ve caused… It won’t happen again. I intend to learn from this mistake and strive to improve,” he said.
O’Leary, who has led Ryanair since 1994, has faced scrutiny before, like when he clashed with Elon Musk on social media earlier this year.
He previously declined to install WiFi equipment from Musk’s satellite service, Starlink, citing concerns about increased weight affecting fuel costs. Musk then claimed O’Leary was “misinformed,” to which O’Leary shot back on Irish radio, calling Musk an “idiot.”
The exchange escalated, with Musk labeling O’Leary an “utter idiot” and “imbecile.” In response, Ryanair launched a “Great idiot seat sale,” encouraging customers to book quickly before Musk made a move.
O’Leary also found himself embroiled in controversy regarding a passenger’s claim of experiencing partial ejection from a window during a flight incident.
A Serbian man, Ljubisa Karović, alleged that his wife and fellow travelers had to hold onto him when a window broke on a flight from Greece to Germany on July 10, causing him to be partially pulled outside. He reportedly suffered injuries and claimed the crew failed to assist him, according to his attorney.
O’Leary contended that while the passenger was “certainly sucked towards the window,” he did not leave the aircraft and was “belted into seat.”
He emphasized he wasn’t trying to downplay the situation, though he stated, “We will definitely be disputing that he or any part of his anatomy was out the window.”
Although he admitted the passenger deserved “some compensation,” he argued it should not be the “millions” his legal team was pursuing.
