Michael O’Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, has faced widespread criticism after likening other airlines to rapists in remarks made before the company’s annual general meeting in Dublin. O’Leary made the controversial comments in the context of discussing rising airfares charged by competitors such as Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, and British Airways, suggesting that passengers unable to afford these higher prices would turn to Ryanair’s lower-cost services.

“You might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair – but you know they’ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA and others desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe,” O’Leary said. When questioned about the appropriateness of his language, he responded, “Absolutely,” and reaffirmed the description, emphasizing that he would “happily offend” these airlines. O’Leary also stated that while rape was a “terrible crime,” he did not believe his comparison trivialized it.

The comments drew swift rebuke from advocacy groups and politicians. Rachel Morrogh, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, described the remarks as “lazy and uninformed” and said they would be deeply hurtful to many survivors of rape. She expressed dismay that O’Leary appeared to prioritize provocative soundbites without regard for their impact on victims.

Similarly, Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, called the comparison “shameful and embarrassing,” characterizing it as “deeply insulting to survivors of rape and sexual abuse.” Corrinne Hasson, executive director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, also condemned the remarks as “completely inappropriate and deeply offensive” and said equating rape with airline pricing “undermines the experiences and trauma of survivors.”

Union representatives for Ryanair staff and some government officials joined in demanding an apology and for O’Leary to withdraw the language. One victim support organization offered to provide training to O’Leary on the harmful effects of trivializing sexual violence.

Ryanair had not issued a formal response at the time of reporting. The debate highlights ongoing tensions around corporate rhetoric and sensitivity toward issues of sexual violence in public discourse.