Ryanair boss doubles down on remarks as demands grow for public apology
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has refused to back down on comments he has made likening airline rivals to “rapists”.
His comments this week have drawn widespread criticism.
In an open letter delivered this morning to Rachel Morrogh, the chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Mr O’Leary has insisted that he “did not trivialise the crime of rape”.
He has also accused Ms Morrogh of making “false and defamatory” statements about him.
Before Ryanair’s annual general meeting in Dublin on Thursday, Mr O’Leary refused to accept that the use of the word “rapists” to describe the airline’s rivals was offensive to victims of sexual assault.
Mr O’Leary had claimed that rising air travel prices at other airlines would result in passengers switching to Ryanair “because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe”.
He said it was “absolutely” appropriate to compare other airlines with rapists.
Mr O’Leary has insisted in the letter to Ms Morrogh that he told reporters that rape was a “heinous crime”.
He actually said during the interaction with media, that it was a “terrible crime”.
“I was also asked if describing high fare competitors as high fare rapists somehow trivialised the crime of rape,” he said in the letter to Ms Morrogh.
“I was clear in my view that it did not,” he said.
The outspoken airline chief added: “I am quite clear that no remarks of mine could possibly trivialise the heinous crime of rape”.
“You are entirely free to hold a different opinion and we are free to disagree,” he added in the letter. “But since I clearly did not ‘trivalise’ the heinous crime of rape, I will certainly not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training.”
He said: “Your claim that my remarks yesterday ‘perpetuate dismissive attitudes to survivors of rape’ is both false and defamatory, when I clearly asserted in the same Q&A with the media that rape is a ‘heinous crime’ and accordingly its survivors are victims of a heinous crime.”
Mr O’Leary also said it was wrong to claim that he “dodged a question” during that interaction with media about whether or no using the term was offensive to victims of rape.
“I did not,” he said.
Ms Morrogh has described Mr O’Leary’s use of the word “rapists”, as s “lazy, uninformed and deeply hurtful”.
“Undoubtedly, the words of high-profile individuals can contribute to trivialising and tolerating sexual violence in our society,” she said. “For many survivors of rape, his words will be deeply hurtful and angering to hear.
“I will write to Mr O’Leary to offer him training on how the trivialisation of rape is so harmful. He has verbalised a historical trope, and as a leading figure in industry he should lead from the front in terms of what he says and does.”
Mr O’Leary has released the letter he received from Ms Morrogh.
In it, she told the airline boss of the concerns the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre had over the language used by him.
“I believe you are one of the most experienced communicators in Ireland and it’s unlikely that you used the word ‘rape’ as a metaphor for expensive flights accidentally,” she said in the letter.
“I can’t imagine that you would ever use the term so flippantly again if you truly understood what it was like to survive rape,” she added.
Ms Morrogh said: “I would also urge you to issue a swift apology to survivors of rape and sexual assault. An apology would be a form of healing for those who have been hurt today.”
A spokesman for Fórsa, a union representing Ryanair cabin crew, has described Mr O’Leary’s comments as “deeply inappropriate”.
Enterprise Minister Peter Burke has said Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary should “apologise” for his comments
Speaking at the Fine Gael parliamentary party-think in, Mr Burke said sexual violence should never be trivialised as he called on Mr O’Leary to “reflect” on his comments.
“We should never trivialise sexual violence in this country. I think the comments were not appropriate,” he said.
“Victims of sexual crimes deserve our respect. They deserve our support and I’ve heard a number of agencies who do that support and work in the field, really say how hurtful it has been.
“I think Michael should reflect on those comments. I think he should apologise.”
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