Michael O'Leary - Ireland's Economic Saviour ?

[B.Bumblebee]

That's how Ryanair make their profit.. nothing wrong with that. If you don't like it then you are free to choose a different airline.,

It's extraordinary how many people complain about Ryanair but continue to choose them because overall they are cheaper than most.. If they didn't have a credit card charge then they would just jack up the price of the flight by €5 per person per leg... It's not possibe to fly people anywhere for €1 .

I must say I never get it either! And people think things are "free". Nothing is free, except the air!

Fly BA and they charge £200 your baggage is "free"
Fly Ryanair and they charge £30 for the ticket and £30 for the baggage and people compalin about Ryanair. £200 versus £60 - I know which one is most expensive!

[west'sawake]

Michael O'Leary was in explosive form this am (29/11/09) on RTERad1 on the 'Marion Finucane' show.
Really well worth listening to. His abrasive, arrogant style is just so hard to take at times but hey, the guy is a winner. He's a colossal success while all the mealy mouths who attack him are knee deep in failure and hamstrung by an inability to cope. So who should we listen to ?

His pronouncements on (i) the Government and (2) Aer Lingus are just so upsetting for the status quo yet so well supported by substantial facts that he is in an unassailable position. Interestingly, very interestingly, he would not enter politics.

On the Podcast, no doubt.

Missed it. Can someone sum up as I haven't time now to listen to the podcast.

[toughbutfair]

The people of Ireland are too stupid to vote for men like O'leary.

therefore, we deserve the uselss bunch of cowards we have an we deserve the hard times ahead.

[fionnmccool]

He doesnt have to get elected nor worry about votes, therefore he can say anything he likes. Neither does he have to concern himself with the long term societal effects of any actions he might take. Politicians do.

He would need to be a dictator to have any effect. So, if people want a dictator, there you go.

Otherwise, he is a blowhard.

However ...Politicians can run neither an economy nor an airline. Leary can at least run an airline so that puts him ahead of our politicians.

[myksav]

Heard it. One thing that did stand out was when he said "we work them.....we work hard at it". Translated from self-interruption: "we work them hard."

I wonder why he always intersperses profanities in his vocabulary? To appear as "the common man"? To shock people? "look at me, I'm rich so I can swear as I want in a public forum"?
I don't find it shocking, I find it off-putting to hear anyone in the public fora use profanities. It wastes my time to listen to irrevelant additions to speech.

[myksav]

Missed it. Can someone sum up as I haven't time now to listen to the podcast.

The Gov't are rubbish.
Throw in some swear words of choice.

[mr_anderson]

Heard the interview as well today.
Impressive without the usual amount of sniping comments.

The problem for the government when it comes to O'Leary is that he's so damn successful (and in the notoriously difficult airline industry at that).
His success also has massive knock-on benefits to the overall economy from tourism etc. A lot of people are dependant on him.

Consequently, when he criticises them, its from someone who knows what he's talking about, thus making them hard to deflect.
His opinions have serious clout.

The image of the bumbling brians and their recent handling of the financial crisis doesn't help their case and plays directly into his hands.

[Abacus]

Heard it. One thing that did stand out was when he said "we work them.....we work hard at it". Translated from self-interruption: "we work them hard."

I wonder why he always intersperses profanities in his vocabulary? To appear as "the common man"? To shock people? "look at me, I'm rich so I can swear as I want in a public forum"?
I don't find it shocking, I find it off-putting to hear anyone in the public fora use profanities. It wastes my time to listen to irrevelant additions to speech.

Well at least he doesn't keep saying "Janoworramween" "TuTellUDaTruth" and more of these inanities which so many others assail us with these days. He's not big on "going forward" either or "at this point in time" so I'll suffer him until he increases the annoyance levels by a few more points. And I'm tinkin' he don't fly to "Lanzarawheeeee" eider.

[MPB]

His statement about getting rid of all quangos and saving an immediate 8 billion made sense.

A bit like how it would make sense to get rid of all expenses. Imagine if you scrapped the whole lot and then told them to come with an expenses system that worked and quangos you actually need and the staffing numbers they actually require.

How long do you think it would take? My guess, about a fortnight. Self preservation is an amazing motivating tool especially when applied to leeches.

[GabhaDubh]

Michael O'Leary can only act in a dictatorial setting. His inability to compromise would be a serious flaw in running a government.