Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s CEO, has apologized in full following widespread condemnation over comments earlier this month in which he labeled his competitors as “high-fare rapists.” After facing criticism from advocacy organisations and backlash from the public, O’Leary, who initially hesitated to withdraw his statement, has now made a direct apology.
Backlash Leads O’Leary to Reverse Course
During a conversation with journalists before the annual Ryanair shareholder meeting in early June, O’Leary used the term while discussing rival carriers: “some people were desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.” Such language immediately provoked objections from groups supporting survivors of sexual violence.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) responded by sending a letter to O’Leary, demanding an apology and sharing that the language had left survivors “upset and distressed.” Rachel Morrogh, the DRCC’s chief executive, accused the Ryanair CEO of exploiting painful experiences for publicity. She also recommended O’Leary take part in training about the realities of sexual violence and urged him to reflect on his word choice.
O’Leary, in his initial reaction to this outreach, chose not to apologise or participate in training. At that stage, he commented, “I am quite clear that no remarks of mine could possibly trivialise the heinous crime of rape” and stated decisively, “I will not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training.”
Public Apology Issued Following Private Conversations
After spending several days thinking about the matter, O’Leary changed his position. In a video message released on Friday, he explained that feedback from family and friends, both inside and beyond Ryanair during the previous ten days, helped him understand the impact of his words, which “caused considerable upset and offence to a wide number of people, especially to victims and survivors.” He recognised his term was “careless” and promised, “it won’t happen again.” O’Leary extended a “sincere and unreserved” apology, particularly to those most hurt by the remark—survivors. He further committed to “learn from this mistake, and do better in future.”
Earlier, the Ryanair head had doubled down on his language in reference to companies like “British Airways, Lufthansa, and everybody else’s high fares, I’ll happily offend them on a regular basis,” but when confronted with the distress caused to victims of sexual assault, he did concede that rape represents “a terrible crime.”
O’Leary has a history of attracting criticism for his outspoken public comments. In 2004, he made headlines for describing Stansted Airport’s owners as “a bunch of overcharging rapists” while disputing airport charges. Additional reported statements from O’Leary have included labelling Ryanair staff “lazy bastards,” as well as telling customers seeking refunds, “we don’t want to hear your sob stories.”
Company Under Increased Scrutiny and Recent Changes
Regulatory and public attention on Ryanair has intensified in recent months. In June, after a consumer watchdog began investigating, O’Leary said the airline would “reluctantly” stop charging parents to sit next to children, while insisting that the previous seating policy was in line with existing law.
The incident involving O’Leary’s remarks, and his subsequent apology, underscores the ongoing discussion about the necessity for public figures to exercise caution in their language, particularly when addressing sensitive topics. This case has sparked new debate over responsible communication in corporate leadership.