Michael O’Leary, CEO of airline RyanAir apoke at a conference held by the EU on “innovation.”
Wow.
O’Leary went completely Galt on them. If I were Dagney Taggart, I would so marry him. (Via American Spectator)
This is the first time I think that I or RyanAir have ever been invited to a conference by the European Union. Because as most of you know, the European Union spends most of its time suing me, torturing me, criticizing me or condeming me for lowering the cost of air travel all over Europe and making life so really difficult for their favorite airlines, which as we all know like high-fare airlines, like Air France, British Airlines, and Lufthansa who must be protected at all costs because they’re the future of Europe — the future of europe lies in people being forced to pay 800 euros for one-hour flights across the continent; the future of Europe lies in people being forced to pay fuel surcharges for the right to travel on Europe’s best airlines run by the Germans, the French, and the British.
Well, sorry we like to disagree… which is why a conference on innovation is so important.
December 20, 2011 at 2:24 pm
This is the same guy who wants to screen porn as in flight entertainment. Hooray for the innovation of the free market.
December 20, 2011 at 2:47 pm
Yeah? Didn't know about that.
December 20, 2011 at 3:13 pm
Pornography on commercial airlines? This raises whole new issues about sexual expression. Watch out for that guy seated next to you.
December 20, 2011 at 3:40 pm
Don't use one bad idea to condemn all free market innovations. If you held every company or every idea to the same standard, you'd never be able to leave the house or do anything other than sit in a corner and cry.
December 20, 2011 at 4:02 pm
If you were Dagny Taggart, you'd probably engage in angry pseudo-rape hate-sex with him. Or did you not read that far?
December 20, 2011 at 5:36 pm
We all have our issues.
December 20, 2011 at 9:40 pm
My problem with O'Leary is his record of being less-than-entirely-straightforward in his dealings with customers and indeed the courts. He has lost every legal action he has mounted or has had mounted against him and it almost always hinges on O'Leary's lack of credibility. Apparently he based his business model on Southwest Airlines in the US; having experienced both of these extensively, I can say that it's not true. Southwest have always left me wanting more, Ryanair leave me saying never again! Besides when you factor in the cost of traveling from the back end of nowhere (Ryanair's usual airport location) to your actual destination, the saving is basically wiped out. He's a plausible talker but don't believe much of it. Or do, then travel on his airline and see how how you feel.
December 22, 2011 at 3:31 am
Ryan Air is the most innovative airline in the world. IF you aren't too worried about your flights manned by people who haven't slept in 48 hours.
Regulation is critical in an industry where bean crunchers have no other big innovative ideas than to cut costs on the backs of crew.
People fly for Ryan Air until they can find another job, there are no old experienced pilots at Ryan.
Wouldn't roll the dice with this airline if they paid me to.