Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has refused to apologize to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) after describing rival airlines as "high-fare rapists." O'Leary made the comments to journalists ahead of Ryanair's annual shareholder meeting, stating that some travelers "can't afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe."
Ireland's deputy premier Simon Harris called O'Leary's language "clearly an inappropriate use of language" and suggested he "should have moved to rectify it." UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander commented that victims of rape "are not going to be rushing to book tickets with him, let's be honest."
In a letter seen by the BBC, the DRCC's chief executive Rachel Morrogh wrote to O'Leary, accusing him of seeking a headline. Morrogh stated the center had received calls from rape victims who were "upset and distressed" by his remarks. She offered O'Leary training on the impact of sexual violence and urged him to apologize, suggesting he would not use such terms flippantly if he understood the experience of surviving rape.
O'Leary responded by stating he was "quite clear that no remarks of mine could possibly trivialize the heinous crime of rape." Consequently, he said he would "not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training."
This is not the first time O'Leary has drawn criticism for his public statements. In 2004, he reportedly referred to the owners of Stansted Airport as "a bunch of overcharging rapists" during a dispute over airport charges. He has also previously made disparaging remarks about his own staff and passengers seeking refunds.
In June, Ryanair announced it would "reluctantly" stop charging parents to sit next to their children, following an investigation by a watchdog. However, O'Leary maintained that the airline's previous policy had been in compliance with the law.