Ryanair chief Michael O'Leary likens rival airlines to rapists, sparks outrage

At a briefing before Ryanair’s shareholder meeting in Dublin, chief executive Michael O'Leary labeled higher-priced rivals—including Aer Lingus, Lufthansa and British Airways—as “rape men”. When asked if the comparison was suitable, O'Leary affirmed it and said he was happy to offend the airlines, while insisting he does not diminish the seriousness of rape. The statements triggered swift backlash from several advocacy groups: the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre’s Rachel Morrogh described the comments as “late and uninformed”, while Rape Crisis England & Wales’s Ciara Bergman called them “shameful and deeply offensive”.

Victim Support and the National Women’s Council of Ireland also condemned the remarks as unacceptable. Ireland’s Deputy Prime Minister Simon Harris and Fianna Fáil’s Jack Chambers labeled the language “shocking” and urged O'Leary to withdraw it. Ryanair has not responded to requests for comment.