Ryanair's famously blunt chief executive, Michael O'Leary, has done something he rarely does: he apologized. On Friday, 18 September, O'Leary issued a video mea culpa for calling rival airlines “rapists” over their ticket prices, a remark that ignited a firestorm of criticism across Ireland and the UK.
The apology came after a week of stubborn refusal. When Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, publicly urged him to retract the comment and undergo training on sexual violence, O'Leary flatly rejected the idea. “Since I clearly did not trivialise the heinous crime of rape, I will certainly not be issuing an apology or accepting your offer of training,” he said at the time.
But the pressure kept building. Politicians, campaigners, and survivors spoke out. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he was “disappointed” and advised O'Leary to “stand back, reflect, and listen to women on this issue.” Labour Party Senator Laura Harmon called the language “deeply shocking” and potentially traumatizing for abuse survivors. UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander added that she doubted many women who had experienced such violence would be “rushing to book tickets with him.”
In his filmed apology, O'Leary acknowledged that his “careless” words had caused “considerable upset and offence,” especially to victims and survivors. He said conversations with family and friends over the previous ten days had made him realize the harm. “I am truly sorry for the offence and upset I have caused you by my careless use of those words. It won't happen again,” he said.
The controversy began on 10 September, when O'Leary was speaking to reporters outside Ryanair's Dublin headquarters before the airline's annual general meeting. He predicted that passengers would flock to Ryanair's low fares, abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, British Airways, and others, because “they can't afford to fly with high-fare rapists around Europe.” When a journalist asked if that language was appropriate, he replied, “Absolutely!”
This is not O'Leary's first brush with outrage. He has previously made inflammatory remarks about obese and Muslim passengers, floated the idea of charging for onboard lavatories, and expressed skepticism about climate change. His latest gaffe, however, struck a nerve that even he couldn't ignore. Morrogh welcomed the apology, saying it “helps promote a greater public understanding of the impact language can have.”
For travelers, the episode is a reminder that the man behind Europe's largest low-cost carrier is as unpredictable as the airline's pricing. Ryanair has been making headlines for other reasons lately, from pulling back from Belgium to rising fares and stricter baggage rules. And with O'Leary vowing to stay at the helm until he's 71, his influence on your next flight is likely to continue.
Whether this apology marks a genuine change or just another PR pivot remains to be seen. But for now, O'Leary has learned that some words carry a weight no fare discount can offset.
