Ryanair Chief Executive Michael O’Leary has firmly declined to offer an apology to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) following his decision to label rival airlines as “high-fare rapists.” The remarks were made during a media session on Thursday, held in anticipation of the company’s annual shareholder meeting.
When questioned by a reporter from the Press Association regarding the appropriateness of his language, O’Leary insisted his choice of words was “absolutely” acceptable. He further remarked that he would “happily offend” competitors like British Airways and Lufthansa on a regular basis due to their pricing structures.
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre responded by writing to the airline executive, with CEO Rachel Morrogh noting that the organization had received reports of distress from sexual assault survivors. Morrogh urged O’Leary to apologize and offered him training on the impact of sexual violence, suggesting that he would not use such terminology flippantly if he understood the reality of surviving such crimes.
O’Leary rejected the offer for training and the request for an apology. He stated that he was clear his comments did not “trivialise the heinous crime of rape” and maintained that he would not be issuing any retraction.
The comments drew sharp criticism from government figures. Ireland’s deputy premier, Simon Harris, described the language as “clearly an inappropriate use of language” and suggested that O’Leary should have taken steps to rectify the situation. Similarly, UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander remarked on LBC that victims of sexual violence would likely be deterred from booking flights with the airline following the controversy.
This is not the first instance of O’Leary using provocative language in a professional context. In 2004, he famously referred to the owners of Stansted Airport as “a bunch of overcharging rapists” during a dispute over airport fees.
Throughout his tenure, the executive has frequently courted controversy with his public statements. He has previously characterized some of his own employees as “lazy bastards” and famously told passengers seeking refunds that the company did not want to hear their “sob stories.”
In a separate development this past June, the airline agreed to “reluctantly” stop charging parents for seating next to their children. This policy shift followed the launch of a watchdog investigation, though the company maintained that its previous practices had remained in full compliance with existing laws.
Despite the backlash from advocacy groups and public officials, O’Leary remains steadfast, asserting that his comments were intended to highlight the financial burden placed on passengers by other European carriers. The report also notes that speaking to journalists, O’Leary said 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”.
