Michael O'leary on ICBF star system changes
From PODCAST: Ep.11 Michael O'Leary (Ryanair CEO) · · Angus to the Fore
“We have a system that's operated on certain stars for the last three or four years and then out of nowhere they changed the star system before Christmas. They changed the system because now they want smaller bulls, bigger bulls who were five-star are now regraded as two star and three stars. It makes no sense.”
On , Michael O'leary, Group Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director at Ryanair, spoke about ICBF star system changes during PODCAST: Ep.11 Michael O'Leary (Ryanair CEO) on Angus to the Fore.
About Michael O'leary
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said Ryanair had hedged 80% of its fuel at about $67 a barrel through March 2027, insulating it from the recent spike in jet fuel prices that he attributed to the conflict in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He warned that if oil prices remained elevated and the strait stayed closed through September or October, there would be “airline bankruptcies in Europe” among unhedged competitors such as Wizz Air and Air Baltic. O’Leary described Ryanair’s record full‑year results—208 million passengers and €2.26 billion profit after tax—and said the airline planned to grow to 300 million passengers annually with a 300‑aircraft Boeing 737 MAX 10 order, with first deliveries expected in spring 2027. O’Leary criticized European aviation taxes, calling the EU’s Emissions Trading System “the dumbest taxation known in humankind” and arguing that it penalizes intra‑European travel while exempting non‑EU routes. He also opposed the UK’s increase in Air Passenger Duty and called on the European Commission to improve competitiveness by reducing environmental taxes and reforming air‑traffic control. He expressed support for the Mercosur trade deal, stating that free trade benefits the Irish economy and agriculture. On the war in Ukraine, O’Leary said he supported NATO’s activity but criticized the Trump administration for not being “forceful behind Ukraine.” In interviews, he also discussed his beef‑farming operation and described his public persona as a deliberate strategy for generating free publicity, while noting that Ryanair avoids making jokes about safety.