Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has apologized for describing rival airlines as “rapists” while criticizing their high fares. In a video posted online on Friday, O’Leary said he was sorry for using the word and acknowledged that it had caused widespread upset and offense.
O’Leary said the remarks were particularly distressing for victims and survivors of rape. His statement marked a reversal from the previous week, when he said he would not apologize because he had not intended to trivialize the crime.
He originally made the comments to journalists at Ryanair’s headquarters in Ireland. While promoting the airline’s lower fares, he used the term to refer to competitors that he said charged high prices. The comments prompted criticism from officials and politicians in Ireland and the United Kingdom.
Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, said O’Leary had trivialized rape. Laura Harmon, an Irish Labour Party senator, called the language deeply shocking and said its casual use could be traumatizing for survivors of sexual abuse.
Ireland’s Taoiseach Michael Martin said he was disappointed by the remarks and urged O’Leary to reflect and listen to women’s views on the issue. Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris described the wording as inappropriate, while neither leader explicitly demanded an apology in the comments cited by DW.
UK Transport Minister Heidi Alexander also criticized the remarks in an interview with LBC radio. She questioned whether women who had experienced rape would want to book flights with O’Leary. O’Leary’s apology now acknowledges the offense caused by the comparison, following the public criticism of one of Ireland’s most prominent business figures.