Ryanair’s O’Leary refuses to apologise for ‘high-fare rapists’ remark

Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has refused to apologise to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre after describing rival airlines as “high-fare rapists”, comments he made to journalists before Ryanair’s annual shareholder meeting and repeated when asked whether the language was appropriate.

What did Michael O’Leary say?

O’Leary told reporters that passengers were “desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe”. Asked by a reporter from the Press Association whether the language was appropriate, he said: “Absolutely.” He added: “British Airways, Lufthansa, and everybody else’s high fares, I’ll happily offend them on a regular basis.” Asked whether the remark would offend victims of sexual assault, O’Leary said rape was “a terrible crime”.

It is not the first time the Ryanair chief executive has used the word in a business dispute. In 2004, he reportedly described the owners of Stansted Airport as “a bunch of overcharging rapists” during a row over airport charges. He has also called some of his own staff “lazy bastards” and once told passengers seeking refunds: “We don’t want to hear your sob stories”.

Who criticised the remarks?

Ireland’s deputy premier, Simon Harris, said the phrase was “clearly an inappropriate use of language” and that O’Leary “should have moved to rectify it”. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told the radio station LBC that rape victims were “not going to be rushing to book tickets with him, let’s be honest”. Separately, UK aviation has faced disruption of its own, including an air traffic control failure that left a couple £1,300 out of pocket.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) wrote to O’Leary asking for an apology. Its chief executive, Rachel Morrogh, said the centre had received calls from rape victims who were “upset and distressed because of what you said”, and offered him training on the impact of sexual violence. “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.

Did Michael O’Leary apologise?

No. In his reply, O’Leary said: “I am quite clear that no remarks of mine could possibly trivialise the heinous crime of rape.” Because he had not trivialised the crime, he said he would “not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training”.

The shareholder meeting followed a period of rising energy costs, with oil prices topping $105 after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier in the year, O’Leary said Ryanair would “reluctantly” stop charging parents to sit next to their children after a watchdog investigation was opened; he said the airline’s previous policy complied with the law.

Frequently asked questions

What did Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary say about rival airlines?

O’Leary told journalists that passengers were “desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe”. Asked by a Press Association reporter whether the language was appropriate, he said: “Absolutely.”

Did Michael O’Leary apologise to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre?

No. O’Leary said no remarks of his could trivialise the crime of rape and that he would “not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training” made by the centre’s chief executive, Rachel Morrogh.

Who criticised O’Leary’s comments?

Ireland’s deputy premier, Simon Harris, called the phrase “clearly an inappropriate use of language”, and UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told LBC that rape victims were “not going to be rushing to book tickets with him”.

Has Michael O’Leary used similar language before?

In 2004 he reportedly called the owners of Stansted Airport “a bunch of overcharging rapists” in a dispute over airport charges. He has also called some of his own staff “lazy bastards”.

With reporting from BBC News.

Stock image, not from the events described. DN Int'l Airport Jetstar Check-in — Dragfyre / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)