Ryanair boss O'Leary has defended controversial remarks in which he described some airlines operating in Europe as “high-fare rapists”.
The comments centred on the cost of air travel, with O'Leary saying passengers “can’t afford to fly” with such operators around Europe. The wording has drawn attention because of its highly charged language, used in the context of airline fares.
O'Leary’s remarks were made as part of his criticism of higher-priced air travel in the European market. The statement presented Ryanair’s position in contrast to airlines he accused of charging passengers too much.
The available material does not include a fuller explanation of when or where the comments were made, nor does it provide responses from other airlines, regulators or passenger groups.
The latest known position is that O'Leary has stood by the remarks, despite the controversy surrounding the language used.
