Ryanair soars, but how long until Michael O'Leary erupts?
Outlook Ryanair’s move to – in the words of chief executive Michael O’Leary – “stop pissing people off” is reaping rich rewards.
Net profit for the year to the end of March surged by 66 per cent, and cheaper fuel accounted for only part of that. It seems customers appreciate the change. They also seem to appreciate the abrasive Mr O’Leary taking a lower profile.
Is that sustainable? The money Ryanair is making clearly helps. But Mr O’Leary is not the sort of man to hide his light under a bushel, particularly when something annoys him. One does rather get the feeling that a huge reservoir of lava is building up. All it may take is a trigger – perhaps the EU introducing some new regulation or other – for a truly spectacular eruption on his part.
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