Celebrities that you admire

[Eamonnca1]

One that doesn't involve trying to squeeze a few extra Euros out of wheelchair users who want to board his planes.

I'd consider tgat a very small blight in terms of the success story Ryanair is and that's not me condoning it.

I could quote all sorts of horror stories about how poorly treated his customers are, but I was hoping that one example would have been enough to cover it.

[Itchy]

One that doesn't involve trying to squeeze a few extra Euros out of wheelchair users who want to board his planes.

I'd consider tgat a very small blight in terms of the success story Ryanair is and that's not me condoning it.

I could quote all sorts of horror stories about how poorly treated his customers are, but I was hoping that one example would have been enough to cover it.

So explain why his airline is so successful if so many are treated so badly. I fly quite a lot and I can't even remember the last issue I had with them. Flew Scandinavian few weeks ago and they were a disaster. I'd take Ryanair over aer lingus any day too.

[Eamonnca1]

I'm not arguing about whether or not his airline is successful, it clearly is. I just don't like the way he has treated his customers over the years and only recently came around to the idea that you can be profitable without being a dick.

To answer your question, there are always going to be some people who will put up with a certain amount of crap (at least the first time around) if they're going to save enough money, although I'd be surprised if they went back to Ryanair again if they had the option of another carrier like EasyJet for the same or a similar route. Just because the majority of people don't have problems doesn't change the fact that there are some people who are treated badly.

[Capt Pat]

Hitler was very successful at what he did and had a lot of supporters. It doesn't mean I should admire him.

[fearbrags]

Wille Joe   

[red hander]

Michael O Leary

OK, not everyones cup of tea. However, look at the colossal changes his company have made to aviation. Trips possible to the UK and further afield for the price of a train ticket. Ryanair the biggest airline in Europe coming out of a country with 5m inhabitants. Every other airline out there scurrying to keep up with the innovations of low fare flying. I see my parents have traveled on city breaks to cities all over Europe on a shoe string budget, something they could never have dreamed off when they were young.

Surely Ireland's greatest ever business man and he pays his taxes in Ireland too.

About the only thing going for him paying tax in Ireland, but the most ignorant Anti worker silver spoon in mouth clongowes boy grotesque sc**bag tgat the country has ever produced.....

+1 Odious little cnut

[imtommygunn]

Yeah - O'Leary treats all his employees like crap and tries to squeeze as much out of everyone as possible while flaunting workers rights everywhere. There is absolutely nothing to admire about him. It is no coincidence all the strikes for first of all pilots and then other crew now.  Horrible horrible man.

[Itchy]

Ye are entitled to your opinion. Please bear in mind that the majority of Ryanairs 13,000 employees are sub contracted in and so their terms are set by a 3rd party. I assume with all this disgust at them as a company ye are doing the honourable thing and refusing to fly with them and pay that extra 20% to their competitors. Thank God no one strikes in Aer Lingus for example and they have such superb employee relations.

[imtommygunn]

Correct Itchy.

Ah sure if it's done by a third party then O'Leary is innocent of it all then

[Orior]

Celebrities that you admire. Me.

[Itchy]

Correct Itchy.

Ah sure if it's done by a third party then O'Leary is innocent of it all then

Well fair play if you have the courage of your convictions. How come the head of Aer Lingus, who have also been cutting costs, is never held up the same scrutiny despite numerous strikes over the years. I can only think of it being down to the brash way O Leary deals with questions etc.

[magpie seanie]

Pretty depressing seeing some of the names on here. Some obvious wind ups but even still.

[ziggysego]

One that doesn't involve trying to squeeze a few extra Euros out of wheelchair users who want to board his planes.

I'd consider tgat a very small blight in terms of the success story Ryanair is and that's not me condoning it.

[imtommygunn]

Correct Itchy.

Ah sure if it's done by a third party then O'Leary is innocent of it all then

Well fair play if you have the courage of your convictions. How come the head of Aer Lingus, who have also been cutting costs, is never held up the same scrutiny despite numerous strikes over the years. I can only think of it being down to the brash way O Leary deals with questions etc.

There are many forums etc round pilot rights and then the paying employees out of the country he chooses so they never get healthcare contributions etc just isn't very nice. Then there's stunts like his taxi stunt , paying to go to the toilet etc. I think it's how he presents himself to a degree. He doesn't really care what people think about him whereas others try to present something different. What you see tends to be what you get there.

The jokes about the pint and extra for the glass etc etc are always about him and not about easyjet / aer lingus etc so I guess he has made a name for himself.

You have a point on why him and not other ones as there are possibly other people who mask it better than he does but he's just not a man who conducts himself in a way that I think merits any respect.

I have seen easyjet do the wheelchair thing too incidentally. I did witness speedy boarding go on before wheelchair users. I don't think it happens with them any more but I saw it on a flight from liverpool about 10 or a dozen years ago.

[haranguerer]

O'Leary doesn't come across as a likeable character, and some of his business practices are questionable, but his company is one of the most successful Irish businesses there is, and has revolutionised air travel. I think he can be afforded some admiration for that.