Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary apologises over 'high-fare rapists' remarks

Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary has publicly apologized for his controversial remarks comparing rival airlines to "high-fare rapists." The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had previously requested an apology following O'Leary's comments made earlier this month, ahead of the company's annual meeting with shareholders. Initially, O'Leary refused to apologize, defending his choice of words as a way to express his disdain for the high fares charged by other European carriers.

However, following multiple conversations with family and friends, O'Leary acknowledged that his flippant use of the term "rapists" had caused significant distress to victims and survivors. The CEO described his original language as "careless" and vowed that it would not happen again. He committed to learning from this mistake and improving his approach in the future.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre's chief executive, Rachel Morrogh, had accused O'Leary of seeking media attention with his remarks, expressing concern over the distress caused to rape victims. She offered O'Leary training on the impact of sexual violence and urged him to issue an apology. O'Leary initially dismissed the offer, asserting that his comments did not trivialize the heinous crime of rape.

This is not the first time O'Leary has faced criticism for his comments. In 2004, he called the owners of Stansted Airport "a bunch of overcharging rapists" during a dispute over airport charges. He has also made derogatory remarks about his own staff and passengers seeking refunds. In June, Ryanair announced it would stop charging parents to sit next to children after a watchdog investigation, but O'Leary insisted the previous policy complied with the law.