Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary apologises over 'high-fare rapists' remarks

ByAdam Mandeville BBC News NI.

Key points

• In 2004, he reportedly called the owners of Stansted Airport "a bunch of overcharging rapists", external in a row over airport charges.
• After the comments, the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) wrote to him asking for an apology, in a letter seen by the BBC.
• After O'Leary's first comments, the DRCC's chief executive Rachel Morrogh had written to O'Leary accusing him of trying to secure a headline with his comments.
• According to O'Leary had originally, some residents were "desperate to get to Ryanair's low fares because they can't afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe".
• Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has remarked he is "truly sorry" for describing rival airlines as "high-fare rapists".

He had previously refused to apologise to a rape crisis centre which criticised him for the comments.

O'Leary had created the remark earlier this month while talking to journalists ahead of Ryanair's yearly gathering with shareholders.

He subsequently defended his choice of words when asked by a reporter from the Press Association whether the language was appropriate.

"British Airways, Lufthansa, and everybody else's high fares, I'll happily offend them on a regular basis, " he had continued.

Asked whether it would offend sexual assault victims, he remarked rape was "a terrible crime".

In a video posted on Friday, O'Leary remarked that, over the last ten days, he had had "conversations with family and friends, both inside and outside Ryanair".

I have come to realise nevertheless that the word that I employed so carelessly has caused considerable upset and offence to a wide number of individuals, especially to victims and survivors.

"I want to apologise, sincerely and unreservedly, to those people, especially to the survivors."

O'Leary described his choice of language as "careless", and remarked "it won't happen again".

"I will try to learn from this mistake, and do better in future."

She remarked the DRCC had received calls from rape victims who were "upset and distressed because of what you said".

She offered O'Leary training on the impact of sexual violence and pressed him to apologise.

"I can't imagine you would ever use the term so flippantly again if you truly understood it was like to survive rape, " she wrote.

In response, O'Leary had remarked: "I am quite clear that no remarks of mine could possibly trivialise the heinous crime of rape."

He continued that as he had not "trivialised the heinous crime of rape" he would "not be issuing any apology or accepting your offer of training".

It was not the first time O'Leary had offended individuals while talking concerning his business.

He has additionally previously called some of his own staff "lazy bastards" and once stated to passengers looking for a refund "we don't want to hear your sob stories".

In June, he remarked the airline would "reluctantly" stop charging parents to sit next to children after a watchdog investigation was opened, but insisted its previous policy complied with laws.

For now, ryanair boss Michael O' Leary apologises over ' high remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.