Reaction to Michael O’Leary's ‘high-fare rapists’ comments
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What did Michael O’Leary say that sparked the controversy?
The Clare Byrne Show on Newstalk with Aviva Insurance.
Now, Michael O'Leary, and this is breaking news this morning, has said it's absolutely appropriate to compare other airlines to rapists. He made the comments at his airline's annual general meeting in Dublin today. Let's have a listen to a clip.
You might find some people would 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. What did you just describe Lufthansa and BA as, high fare? High fare rapists. Are you sure that's
appropriate language?
Absolutely.
You don't think that's offensive to people who are rapists? I'd
happily offend Lufthansa, BA, BA, Lufthansa and everybody's high fares. I'd happily offend them on a regular basis.
That's Cillian Sherlock, the journalist who you can hear calling Michael Leary out on that.
How does Caroline Forde react to the ‘high‑fare rapists’ comment?
I'm joined now by Dr. Caroline Ford from the Domestic Violence Advocacy Service. Caroline is outreach and support worker with that organisation. Caroline, what's your reaction to what you've just heard?
Hi, Clare. Thank you for having me on. So, yeah, I'm I'm I'm outraged. And, you know, there'd be a number of issues there for me. And firstly, it seems to me that Michael O'Leary used this language purposefully, that he wants the headlines. So he's using this sensationalist language about a very pervasive and serious issue in our society. And, you know, he's doing that while triggering and re-traumatizing victims and survivors and upsetting and angering any person, I would say, with the with the shred of decency that You know, and it's particularly, I think, callous given, you know, that a Ryanair worker not so long ago was sexually assaulted on one of their flights. And, you know, it's this thing of comparing, you know, high affairs to a crime.
And in doing so, he's sidelining the central issue of consent, you know.
Why is comparing airlines to rapists considered harmful to survivors?
So it's, you know, on so many levels, it's, I would say, appalling. And I think it's quite telling. that he doesn't respond to the questions that were put to him there. You know, so asking if it's offensive to victims and survivors, he says, I would happily offend the airlines.
So he's
completely dodging the question. Then when he's further pushed on it, that is trivializing rape, he says, that's what I call high fare airlines. So, you know, that tells me that he knows exactly what he's doing. And it's, you know, it's callous and extremely offensive.
Yeah I mean I suppose it's one thing to use that in a throwaway fashion which is not acceptable I know in your view but to do what he has done and double down on it he was asked twice whether he wanted to withdraw or or clarify those comments and as you say he pushed back and he said he would happily call those airlines using that word and that language and he felt it was appropriate language. What
is
the harm, can you explain to us, that is caused by someone using a word like rapist in the context of a business row?
Yeah, well, first of all, they're not going to be expecting this, you know, so there's that shock that occurs. And again, I feel that that's what he's
What psychological impact can such language have on victims of sexual assault?
what he's looking for. But when a person is shocked like that, you know, they'll be triggered. And, you know, that can bring up anxiety, you know, PTSD, hyperarousal. It's extremely, extremely damaging. A person could be at work, you know, they could be in any place when they're hearing this. And they have no, you know, if you're triggered, you've no control over that response, you know. So it's, you know, it's extremely dangerous. And that person then has to, has to deal with that. And that's going to be something that will, will be difficult for them. You know, it could, it could ruin their whole day and it really does depend where a person is on this journey. You know, so there's, as I say, there's the triggering, there's the trauma that's held in the body, but then there's people, even if they are in, shall we say a better place in, in their recovery, it's, it's extremely upsetting.
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
What did Michael O’Leary say that sparked the controversy?
0:01–0:59
2
How does Caroline Forde react to the ‘high‑fare rapists’ comment?
0:59–2:07
3
Why is comparing airlines to rapists considered harmful to survivors?
2:07–3:25
4
What psychological impact can such language have on victims of sexual assault?
3:25–4:37
5
Is there any chance Michael O’Leary will retract or apologise for his remarks?
4:37–5:14
6
How could the airline industry be held accountable for trivialising rape?
5:14–6:08
7
What resources are offered to listeners who feel triggered by the discussion?
6:08–7:02