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Michael O'Leary

Group Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director, Ryanair

Search every verified Michael O'Leary interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, held press conferences in Brussels and London in recent months to discuss the airline's operations and industry outlook. In Brussels, he announced that Ryanair would cut approximately 1.1 million seats from its Belgian schedule and close routes at Charleroi and Zaventem airports in response to a planned increase in Belgium's aviation tax from €2 to €7 per ticket by 2027. He contrasted this with other European countries, including Sweden, Slovakia, Hungary, Albania, and parts of Italy, which he said have abolished aviation taxes, and stated that Ryanair is shifting capacity toward countries with lower taxes and airport fees. He also called on the UK government to scrap Air Passenger Duty in its upcoming budget, arguing the move would be repaid within 12 months through increased traffic. O'Leary warned that European airfares could rise by 10 to 20 percent in 2027, citing higher jet fuel prices and the expiration of airlines' fuel hedging arrangements. He noted that Ryanair was 80 percent hedged at $67 per barrel through early 2027 but would be largely unhedged afterward, with spot jet fuel trading around $140–150 per barrel. He also expressed optimism about the certification of Boeing's 737 MAX 10, expecting Ryanair's first delivery in January 2027 and stating the airline has ordered 300 of the aircraft. On UK air traffic control, he criticized NATS CEO Martin Rolfe following a third system collapse in three years, calling for his dismissal and describing his assurances to Parliament as "worthless." He also described other European airlines as "high-fare rapists," a remark he said he made deliberately to offend legacy carriers, and predicted further consolidation in the European airline industry, with Ryanair emerging as one of four large carriers.

Recent appearances

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“I think airfares are going to go dramatically higher in 2027. uh we Ryan Air and most of the other European areas had strong fuel hedge positions through 2026. So when the war broke out in the Middle East in February, we were 80% hedged at $67 a barrel on oil out to next March. From next April onwards in 2027, Ryan Air, most of the other European airs have very little hedging in place. So we're all going to be paying”

“This increase in taxes in Belgium come at a time when most other European countries, Sweden, Slovakia, Hungary, Albania, regional Italy, Ireland, have abolished aviation taxes. And the inevitable consequence is we're taking aircraft out of Charawa. We're closing routes in Charawa and in Zavventum. And we're reducing our traffic in Belgium in response to this mad increase in aviation taxes. As a result of that, this n”

“I very much hope that jet prices will rise faster into next year because that will accelerate the extent to which other airlines will fail. Airlines who are currently loss making will fail. It will accelerate the consolidation of Europe into four large airlines BA Lufansza Air France and Riner. It will also mean fuel search charges coming on particularly with the legacy carriers in short hall Europe next year and I t”

“We are actively switching capacity away from those countries who are raising taxes and airports who are towards countries who are abolishing taxes of which there are many and airports who are cutting their fees of which there are many including in the UK and we believe the UK needs to compete with those countries. So we're calling on Labor government in the upcoming budget scrap APD cost you about 2.5 million. It wou”

“That's what Nats have told us. It was another rogue flight plan. Now, Martin Rolf is out denying it yesterday, but he's in my view, I believe he's telling lies to save his own skin. Like this is a guy who, you know, told the House of Parliament in 2023 after the first Naz collapse, this will not happen again. This is a once in a lifetime event. Couldn't happen again. They've had a failure in 2025 and another failure ”

“I want our political leadership to get on here and fix the infrastructure around Dublin airport. Stop wasting 20 billion on a useless train track, a useless train link from Dublin airport to Ranelagh. The money would be far better spent either building a bridge across Dublin Bay, a tunnel under Dublin Bay and building an outer ring road and M75 that would actually relieve the enormous congestion of traffic around Dub”

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