Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Ryanair Chief Rejects Apology Calls Over Rape Comparison
Michael O’Leary, the boss of Ryanair, used the word “rapists” to describe airlines with higher ticket prices.
He said people would choose Ryanair because its fares are cheaper.
Groups supporting people who have experienced rape said the comparison was hurtful and upsetting.
Some survivors reportedly contacted the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre after hearing it.
The centre asked O’Leary to apologise and offered him training about sexual violence.
O’Leary refused, saying he had not made light of rape.
Politicians in Ireland and the United Kingdom also criticised his words.
He continued to attack other aviation businesses and defended Ryanair on separate issues.
The controversy could damage the airline’s reputation, especially among women who have experienced sexual assault.
Michael O’Leary refused to apologise for calling expensive rival airlines “high-fare rapists.”
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said survivors were upset and distressed by the comparison.
O’Leary defended the language, saying it did not trivialise rape, which he called a heinous crime.
Irish and UK politicians criticised the comments and urged him to listen to experts or rectify the situation.
The Ryanair chief also attacked Britain’s air traffic control leadership and defended the airline over a separate aircraft incident.
- Who
- Michael O’Leary, Ryanair, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, and critics including Rachel Morrogh, Heidi Alexander, and Simon Harris.
- What
- O’Leary refused to apologise for describing higher-fare rival airlines as “high-fare rapists.”
- When
- The comments were made ahead of Ryanair’s annual general meeting; the article does not give an exact date.
- Where
- The remarks and AGM involved Dublin, with criticism coming from Ireland and the United Kingdom.
- Why
- O’Leary used the comparison to attack airlines with higher fares and promote Ryanair’s lower prices; critics said it trivialised sexual violence and distressed survivors.
Critics of the comparison
O’Leary’s defense
Whether the language was appropriate
Critics of the comparison
The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and politicians said using rape as a commercial comparison was inappropriate, hurtful, and potentially dismissive of survivors’ experiences.
O’Leary’s defense
O’Leary said the language was appropriate and argued that describing rape as a heinous crime showed he had not trivialised it.
Whether an apology was necessary
Critics of the comparison
Rachel Morrogh called for a swift apology to survivors, while Simon Harris said O’Leary should listen to experts and rectify the situation.
O’Leary’s defense
O’Leary said he would not apologise because he believed the comparison did not trivialise rape, and he rejected the centre’s offer of training.
Potential impact on Ryanair
Critics of the comparison
Heidi Alexander said women who had experienced sexual assault might be less likely to book with Ryanair, raising concerns about reputational harm.
O’Leary’s defense
O’Leary’s provocative style has traditionally been used to attack competitors and generate publicity for Ryanair.
- Speaker
- Michael O’Leary, Ryanair’s chief
- Contested phrase
- “High-fare rapists,” referring to rival airlines
- Criticism
- The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said survivors were upset and distressed
- Requested response
- The centre called for an apology and offered O’Leary training on sexual violence
- O’Leary’s position
- He said the comparison did not trivialise rape and refused to apologise
- Political reaction
- Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris and UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander criticised the remarks
- Other AGM criticism
- O’Leary called Britain’s air traffic control chief Martin Rolfe “incompetent” and an “overpaid failure”