Could Michael O’Leary’s comments cost Ryanair customers? 

Cian de Monge 

Ryanair has built its business on one simple idea: low fares across Europe. However, following chief executive Michael O’Leary’s comments comparing rival airlines to “high-fare rapists”, the company faces a different question, could controversy surrounding its most recognisable figure affect how customers view the airline? 

Speaking before Ryanair’s annual general meeting in Dublin, O’Leary claimed passengers would abandon more expensive airlines and decide to fly with Ryanair instead because of its lower fares. When questioned about whether his comments describing his competitors as “rapists” were appropriate, he originally responded: “Absolutely”.  

The comments brought a wave of criticism, especially from victim organisations and politicians.  Rachel Morragh, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, described the comments as “lazy and uninformed” and added that the words of high-profile individuals can contribute to the belittling of sexual violence. 

O’Leary initially refused to apologise. However, on 18 September, he changed his opinion, issuing what he believes is a “sincere and unreserved” apology.  

“I am truly sorry for the offence and the upset I have caused you by my careless use of those words”, O’Leary said. He added “It won’t happen again”.  

The question for Ryanair now is whether the controversy will go further than the headlines and affect customer behaviour.  

So far, there is no clear evidence of a passenger exodus. Ryanair’s report in August revealed it carried 22.2 million passengers last month, which is an increase of 6% on last year.  

This suggests that Ryanair’s low-price model remains a powerful attraction for customers.  

“For consumers, price is often the deciding factor, particularly when there is a big price difference”, said Dr Gary Sinclair, Professor of Marketing at Dublin City University. He added, “A controversial CEO does not necessarily mean consumers will change their purchasing behaviour if the product is still offering the best market price”.  

This controversy has come at a difficult time for Ryanair. The airline is already facing increased operating costs because of rising oil prices. Although it has locked in around 80% of its fuel requirements at around €60 a barrel, the remaining fuel exposure has become significantly more expensive. Ryanair has therefore reduced its passenger target for the financial year to March 2027 from 216 million to 214 million and cut around two million seats from its winter schedule.  

This creates a more complicated situation for customers. If fuel prices continue to rise and airlines cut capacity, fares will rise.  

Professor of Aviation at Dublin City University, Marina Efthymiou, said, “People choose an airline on its price, route availability and flight times. For a low-cost airline like Ryanair, maintaining the price advantage can be particularly important in keeping the demand.” 

Ryanair’s competitive advantage has traditionally been its ability to offer low fares and attract large numbers of budget-conscious passengers. O’Leary’s comments were originally intended to reinforce that message by presenting competitors as expensive options. However, there is a potential risk when the main figure of the company becomes the story rather than the product.  

For now, the passenger figures shown by Ryanair do not demonstrate a customer exodus following the comments made by O’Leary. The stronger immediate business issue lies with fuel prices and the ability to keep fares low. Even so, the controversy highlights a challenge for the airline: as long as prices are low, they can absorb the criticism its chief executive receives.  

Ultimately, Ryanair’s cheap fares appear to be speaking louder than O’Leary’s controversial words. But if prices rise and customers have more choice, O’Leary’s comments may come back to bite him, and the airline may discover whether loyalty lies with Ryanair or whoever has the cheapest ticket.  

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