Ryanair's Michael O'Leary - why should Ireland love him?

uln

He seems to be loved and loathed - we have all heard the arguments for being loathed. Why should we love him?

Fighting Irish

He made flying cheap for us and he doesn't give a ****


I love him

Shield

Moved from Newbies & FAQ to After Hours with redirect expiring in 7 days.

orourkeda

He's good at what he does.

Spunge

He gives a mean rusty trombone

jester77

uln wrote: »

He seems to be loved and loathed - we have all heard the arguments for being loathed. Why should we love him?

Are you his new PA?

*good luck*

Ruu_Old

He gets the job done.

kevthegaff

He pays taxes here not like most other millionaires here!:mad:

jokettle

He's a fox.

Dozen Wicked Words

Ruu wrote: »

He gets the job done.

So did, Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Pinochet etc etc etc. Although none of those, AFAIK, charged you for your luggage.

Liam Byrne

He changes the rules re accepted norms & standards so that he can get more money from ordinary people, so he fits right in with the government and bankers.

I mean, their 20cm bag size is a joke considering the industry standard is 22cm.....the only reason for that 2cm is so that they can catch people out at the gates and extort €35/€40 from them.

Next thing you know they'll be charging you €50 extra if you don't use Ryanair ink and foolscap-instead-of-industry-standard A4 paper to print their tickets and boarding passes.

kevthegaff

Liam Byrne wrote: »

He changes the rules re accepted norms & standards so that he can get more money from ordinary people, so he fits right in with the government and bankers.

I mean, their 20cm bag size is a joke considering the industry standard is 22cm.....the only reason for that 2cm is so that they can catch people out at the gates and extort €35/€40 from them.

Next thing you know they'll be charging you €50 extra if you don't use Ryanair ink and foolscap-instead-of-industry-standard A4 paper to print their tickets and boarding passes.

Right Lad

jive

People hate him because he has sets of rules that must be met before boarding the plane and if they aren't met then you are charged an arm and a leg for it (e.g. baggage size, printing your own boarding pass). The staff are trained to basically have to be arseholes and check that the baggage fits I've seen many close calls at the airport with regards to the bag fitting - one bag did actually fit but the person had to absolutely mash it in so they still charged him.

People love him because that's good business. He doesn't hide any of these rules or regulations, you just have to abide by them and then the plastic planes are cheap for flights so who cares? Cheap flights is a good thing so as far as I'm concerned he's a good thing because it's his airline. I don't know anything about him personally but if people are dumb enough to buy a ticket and not follow the rules of the airline then unlucky, stupidity costs you.

Plentyofice

He is not afraid to call it as he sees it. He hates unions and all the associated bull**** they bring. He is an intelligent and extremely successful businessman. I wish our current government and more importantly our previous shambles of a govt had the know how and balls he has.:)

Tipp Man

jive wrote: »

People hate him because he has sets of rules that must be met before boarding the plane and if they aren't met then you are charged an arm and a leg for it (e.g. baggage size, printing your own boarding pass). The staff are trained to basically have to be arseholes and check that the baggage fits I've seen many close calls at the airport with regards to the bag fitting - one bag did actually fit but the person had to absolutely mash it in so they still charged him.

People love him because that's good business. He doesn't hide any of these rules or regulations, you just have to abide by them and then the plastic planes are cheap for flights so who cares? Cheap flights is a good thing so as far as I'm concerned he's a good thing because it's his airline. I don't know anything about him personally but if people are dumb enough to buy a ticket and not follow the rules of the airline then unlucky, stupidity costs you.

You've hit the nail on the head. The problem in this country that if you do something stupid you are often rewarded as opposed to punished (financially) so the whole concept of having to play by the rules and getting what you are actually paying for is a foreign concept to many

He's a tremendous business man who had a very major part in revolution of airline travel. He has built a company which is one of the largest in the world by passenger numbers and is certainly one of the most profitable in the world

The country could do with a whole lot more Michael o Leary's to get us out of this mess

Liam Byrne

jive wrote: »

The staff are trained to basically have to be arseholes and check that the baggage fits I've seen many close calls at the airport with regards to the bag fitting - one bag did actually fit but the person had to absolutely mash it in so they still charged him.

Again, that's the industry-standard 22cm vs 20cm stunt.....and I've a better one for ya....the guy ahead of me on a flight last week got charged the €35 for the exact above reason, and then - having paid the €35 - was told to bring the "offending" back onto the plane with him, putting it in the overhead compartment EXACTLY where he would have put it anyway!

ejmaztec

He does what it says on the inside of his tin in small print.

Monty Burnz

I presume that most people here are too young to remember that it used to cost the best part of a month's take-home pay to fly a family with a couple of kids to London.

I try not to fly Ryanair when I can, but I thank Christ that they have forced everyone else to cop on.

RichieC

I don't understand the hatred for him at all. Not like I love the man either, but he's clearly a shrewd business man.

wicorthered

To be honest I love when people get nabbed for the over sized bag. It's not exactly a secret that the crew are strict, yet people will always try and push their luck!!

Really annoys me, when I'm stood waiting for someone to cram their huge bag into the overhead compartment!

I flew from Ireland to Eng, Eng to Sweden, Sweden to Germany and Germany back home for 24 euro with Ryanair last year. How could you have anything but love for the man!

jive

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Again, that's the industry-standard 22cm vs 20cm stunt.....and I've a better one for ya....the guy ahead of me on a flight last week got charged the €35 for the exact above reason, and then - having paid the €35 - was told to bring the "offending" back onto the plane with him, putting it in the overhead compartment EXACTLY where he would have put it anyway!

Yeah well I suppose on such borderline issues it's subjective and depends on the staff! If you know you're going to be flying with Ryanair just bring a smaller bag though and the problem is solved. If you can't fit all your stuff into a bag that fits their standards for carry on luggage (size and weight) then just check the bag or fly with someone else.

I don't see a problem with it because they don't hide these rules. I can see how they can catch you out alright but they are there in black and white. Some people have been caught out and feel hard done by so hate Michael O'Leary. I like Ryanair because it's simple. I walk in with my boarding pass, they tear it in half and I walk on the plane and leave to live happily ever after.

Mr Benevolent

I love him, he's a mother****ing legend. The man who took on the system, won and helped us individually and as a people.

Dogdaysareover

uln wrote: »

He seems to be loved and loathed - we have all heard the arguments for being loathed. Why should we love him?

Some man for the free publicity!
Is that you Michael?

ejmaztec

Monty Burnz wrote: »

I presume that most people here are too young to remember that it used to cost the best part of a month's take-home pay to fly a family with a couple of kids to London.

I try not to fly Ryanair when I can, but I thank Christ that they have forced everyone else to cop on.

When those up-themselves thieves at Aer Lingus had everybody by the balls, and people like me poor old mother in England had to pay 250 Sterling to visit her dying mother in Kerry, bastards!:mad:

pablomakaveli

I dont care how great a businessman Micheal O' Leary is, i still think he's a knobhead.

Hell he could cure AIDS and my opinion of him would'nt change.

Cormic

He is a good businessman. I follow all the rules and have never had a problem with baggage etc.. The only thing that annoys me is that I have to wait in line while the eejit on front of me with 3 bags whines to the flight attendant.

It says a lot that other air carriers have adopted the same policies as Ryanair.

chucken1

I love him I even own one of these

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+what_would_michael_do,362249845

meditraitor

Top man, mainly just begrudgers and people who cant read terms and conditions who dislike him.

TheZohanS

uln wrote: »

He seems to be loved and loathed - we have all heard the arguments for being loathed. Why should we love him?

Do your own homework.

Apanachi

two words:

cheap flights!!!!

G_R

He turned a failing Airline into one of the most successful, if not the most successful in the world, one of the only in the world to make a profit last year. His "take no ****" attitude is to be admired. He doesn't care what anyone thinks - he just wants his airline to be successful. Also, he pays tax in this country, something that many Irish people who have been successful don't do.

Aside from all that, have you ever read or seen any of his interviews or quotes. They're feckin brilliant. For example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfIY24BErBE

stovelid

He's loved by a significantly (and vocal, especially online) constituency of customers that like to travel light and often.

He will be loathed by that same constituency of customers when their travel needs change, probably later in life.

By that time, they'll have to pay through the nose to fly with anything other than a pair of jocks and a toothbrush and to anywhere other than 50 miles away form the actual destination they are going to because they (the customer) spent so many years breathlessly supporting Ryanair that all the other airlines have brought in the same model.

Monty Burnz

stovelid wrote: »

By that time, they'll have to pay through the nose to fly with anything other than a pair of jocks and a toothbrush and to anywhere other than 50 miles away form the actual destination they are going to because they (the customer) spent so many years breathlessly supporting Ryanair that all the other airlines have brought in the same model.

So they will all be dirt cheap? What a disaster.

By the way, you're wrong - if there's a market for a premium service, one will exist.

Fighting Irish

Liam Byrne wrote: »

He changes the rules re accepted norms & standards so that he can get more money from ordinary people, so he fits right in with the government and bankers.

I mean, their 20cm bag size is a joke considering the industry standard is 22cm.....the only reason for that 2cm is so that they can catch people out at the gates and extort €35/€40 from them.

Next thing you know they'll be charging you €50 extra if you don't use Ryanair ink and foolscap-instead-of-industry-standard A4 paper to print their tickets and boarding passes.

Follow the rules and you'll get cheap flights, all the extra charges are for the stupid who don't follow the rules, which in turn makes it cheaper for the people who do follow the rules!

IamtheWalrus

I respect his airline's money making policy, I get cheap flights out of it.

I saw him debating Lisbon with Declan Ganley on TV. It was obvious who did their homework and knew what they were talking about. O'Leary just made insults and didn't have a clue what he was talking about. I lost a bit of respect for him but he's not a politician. He's just a clever business man, some people forget that.

bm365

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Again, that's the industry-standard 22cm vs 20cm stunt.....and I've a better one for ya....the guy ahead of me on a flight last week got charged the €35 for the exact above reason, and then - having paid the €35 - was told to bring the "offending" back onto the plane with him, putting it in the overhead compartment EXACTLY where he would have put it anyway!

So you hate Michael O'Leary and Ryanair yet you seem more than happy to avail of the cheap flights he provides?? Typical begrudger attitude.

fabbydabby

I love him for making the airlines I want to travel with affordable.

Liam Byrne

Fighting Irish wrote: »

Follow the rules and you'll get cheap flights, all the extra charges are for the stupid who don't follow the rules, which in turn makes it cheaper for the people who do follow the rules!

Depends on whether the "rules" are the standard ones.

Ryanair is like a speed camera cop who decides that the "50" on the speed limit sign means "miles per day"

Yes, there's scope for cheap flights, but the pettiness in the "we're 2cm smaller for no reason" is a joke, especially when they then get the guy to bring said luggage onto the plane to put it into the same space as he was going to put it anyway!

Liam Byrne

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Ryanair is like a speed camera cop who decides that the "50" on the speed limit sign means "miles per day"

Yes, there's scope for cheap flights, but the pettiness in the "we're 2cm smaller for no reason" is a joke, especially when they then get the guy to bring said luggage onto the plane to put it into the same space as he was going to put it anyway!

Well there's a nice analogy.. Wouldn't you want to be pretty damn stupid to drive on that cop's road when you know he's there?!

He's a fuking hero... And recently, the biggest reason I love him is because he shows up the retards in society who "hate him".
It's a very clear way to see if someone is a dumb fuker.

Liam Byrne

bm365 wrote: »

So you hate Michael O'Leary and Ryanair yet you seem more than happy to avail of the cheap flights he provides?? Typical begrudger attitude.

I hate their pettiness and reckon they could avoid half the crap without a single extra cost to themselves.

I mean, O'Leary is the very one who refuses to drive in normal car lanes like the rest of us, but break his non-standard rules by 0.5cm and his airline will screw ya!

cosanostra

He is a complete bastid but my got he is a shrewd business man and i think we can only admire him for that!

I think that whole business with hanger 22 last year showed how stubborn and ignorant Fianna Fail are, Mary Caughlin should have given Ryanair whatever they wanted for them jobs now there is 600-800 jobs in Prestwick

FlutterinBantam

Hmmm

Don't think Ireland should love O'Leary.

Maybe like him.

What I liked about him was thae fact that he was prepared to play football with the baggage handlers , but not not sit in an office all day talking to their representatives.

Very important strategy.

stovelid

Monty Burnz wrote: »

By the way, you're wrong - if there's a market for a premium service, one will exist.

Not talking about a premium service unless by premium you mean travelling with anything other than a change of clothes and to anywhere but miles away from your actual destination.

Fighting Irish

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Depends on whether the "rules" are the standard ones.

Ryanair is like a speed camera cop who decides that the "50" on the speed limit sign means "miles per day"

Yes, there's scope for cheap flights, but the pettiness in the "we're 2cm smaller for no reason" is a joke, especially when they then get the guy to bring said luggage onto the plane to put it into the same space as he was going to put it anyway!

FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!

Liam Byrne

Fighting Irish wrote: »

FOLLOW THE RULES!!!!!

That's the whole point......they're different rules!

You're right, but it exposes a petty-mindedness that is based on nothing but creating a mechanism by which to randomly screw people.

That said, he seems to have a big enough budget for Internet marketing and social media brand defence.

Fighting Irish

Liam Byrne wrote: »

That's the whole point......they're different rules!

You're right, but it exposes a petty-mindedness that is based on nothing but creating a mechanism by which to randomly screw people.

That said, he seems to have a big enough budget for Internet marketing and social media brand defence.

So all airlines should have the exact same rules?

Mike 1972

Apanachi wrote: »

two words:

cheap flights!!!!

Where do people get this strange Idea that Michael O Leary or Ryanair are single handedly responsible for the introduction of cheap flights when most of the credit is due to the EU(/EEC)

Fighting Irish

Mike 1972 wrote: »

Where do people get this strange Idea that Michael O Leary or Ryanair are single handedly responsible for the introduction of cheap flights when most of the credit is due to the EU(/EEC)

Not really

Liam Byrne

Fighting Irish wrote: »

So all airlines should have the exact same rules?

Well they certainly shouldn't have ones deliberately designed to screw their customers.

Would you be happy if they charged you more for not printing your ticket on legal paper instead of the standard A4 ?

Major rules or massive differences in size, fair enough, but some standard things should be standard - in particular cabin luggage size.

Having a 1cm or 2cm variant that makes absolutely no difference to stowing the bag (especially since a bag could be 5cm shorter than their max) is simply petty-minded and there is absolutely no logical reason other than screwing people who had no intention of pulling a fast one.

By all means punish people who deliberately take the piss, but Ryanair take it way too far.

Watching someone be told "you can't take that on the plane, so you have to pay €35 to check it in so we can pay baggage handlers" only to see him being told to bring the fecking bag on the plane is a joke!

opinion guy

uln wrote: »

He seems to be loved and loathed - we have all heard the arguments for being loathed. Why should we love him?

I object to being cast into a group who love him, or a group who hate him. Who decreed we must do either ?

I am largely ambivalent towards the man

DublinWriter

Why should Ireland love him?

Because...

1. He is domiciled here and pays tax on all his earnings.
2. Without him, you'd be paying roughly €2K to fly to the UK with Aer Lingus
3. Ryanair currently employ just over 8,000 people.

...otherwise, he's a total git.