Ryanair boss apologizes for calling other airlines 'rapists'

Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, issued a heartfelt apology on Friday for his earlier remarks in which he referred to other airlines as "rapists" due to their high fares. In a video posted online, O'Leary acknowledged that his choice of words caused significant distress and offense, particularly to victims and survivors of sexual assault.

This marked a turnaround from his initial refusal to apologize for the comments. Rachel Morrogh, the CEO of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, criticized O'Leary for trivializing the serious issue of rape. Earlier, O'Leary had made similar remarks during a press conference at Ryanair's headquarters in Ireland, asserting that passengers would flock to Ryanair's low fares while abandoning competitors like Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and British Airways.

The Irish Taoiseach, Michael Martin, expressed disappointment in O'Leary's comments and urged the CEO to reflect and listen to women's perspectives on the matter. The Irish deputy prime minister, Simon Harris, called O'Leary's language "inappropriate." Laura Harmon, a senator from Ireland's center-left Labour Party, demanded an apology from O'Leary, stating that describing competitors as "rapists" was deeply shocking and potentially traumatizing for sexual abuse survivors.

The UK's Transport Minister, Heidi Alexander, also condemned O'Leary's remarks, suggesting that women who had experienced rape might be hesitant to fly with Ryanair. O'Leary, one of Ireland's wealthiest businessmen, had previously made controversial statements about obese and Muslim passengers, proposed a toilet fee for flights, and denied climate change.