Posted on 12/03/2005 1:12:51 PM PST by Murtyo
Michael O’Leary is focused on Ryanair growth and tackling the Government
THOSE hoping that Ryanair’s outspoken chief executive Michael O’Leary will go quietly into retirement are in for a surprise.
While the headlines suggested that 2008 would see his departure, O’Leary has other ideas.
“In 2008 I will have done 20 years in Ryanair, I will be 47. I think it is getting closer to the day when I am going to go. Is it going to be 2008? No. It might be 2007 or it might be 2009. I will go when it is a natural time for me to go,” he told the Irish Examiner yesterday.
In the meantime, there is still work to be done building the airline into the biggest carrier in Europe over the next five years.
Expansion continues, with four new routes announced from Shannon Airport a couple of days ago, following on from the launch of Cork to Dublin services last week.
Across Europe, the airline is on course to carry 36 million passengers by the end of its financial year next May and profits for the year will come in at around €290 million.
Yet, it is O’Leary’s old enemies - Dublin Airport, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the trade unions - that raise his ire.
The long-running battle with Dublin Airport over passenger charges and the second terminal continues. Until a deal on landing charges is struck, Dublin will miss out on the millions of passengers that Ryanair can deliver.
Though relations with the three airport authorities have improved since Aer Rianta was broken up, the decision by the Government to allow the Dublin Airport Authority build (and tender to operate) the second terminal has been attacked by O’Leary.
“Thus far we haven’t been overly impressed by the new DAA. The facilities for passenger will be worse. If we, or the McEvaddys [who own land adjacent to the airport] built the second terminal, we wouldn’t be able to charge until someone went through that terminal.”
Both the terminal decision, and the aviation regulator’s proposed passenger charge increase, are being challenged by the airline in the courts. And outside of the legal system, the airline has been running a publicity campaign to get an independent terminal at Dublin built.
“It demonstrates yet again that Bertie Ahern and his Government have no commitment to competition, no commitment to customers and has broken election promises.”
But has the constant criticism of the Government, and the Taoiseach in particular, damaged the argument for competing terminals at Dublin Airport?
“If you have an idiot Government incapable of developing transport in this country over the last eight years then we should point out that they are idiots.
“The latest scandal is the bloody airport Metro link. It is not needed, not required, yet we are going to piss away €1.5 billion building it.
“I don’t know why it is, but in this country we have this orthodoxy that public transport is good. It isn’t good. It is inefficient, vastly oversubsidised and in this country it doesn’t work. It doesn’t work in low-population, low-density cities like Dublin.”
Instead, he says more private bus operators, taxis and more car-parking spaces will bring better transport links.
In the run up to the general election, the Government can expect more attacks from Ryanair.
“Will we be highlighting the failure of this Government to deliver on its transport plan? Yes.”
Mr O’Leary has given his support to Irish Ferries’ management in the row over attempts to cut its Irish workforce.
Passengers ferry companies have “no future” in face of competition from airlines.
“The trade unions don’t have a bloody case. Ninety per cent of the workers in this company have voted to accept the very generous redundancy packages.
“The problem is that Irish Ferries have not adequately made their case.
“In Ryanair we will argue our case with any trade union, anywhere, any day.”
Let's hear it for Michael O'Leary!!
Willie Green is deeply saddened.
He is?
And old (maybe too old by this point!) inside joke with Willie and a few of his detractors.
Willie would have linked Dublin Airport to Dublin City Centre, Cork City and Galway City with MagLev monorail trains years ago if he was in charge!
I would like a Sligo to Galway railway....
IMHO, Ireland is probably too small to benefit from "high speed" mass transportation technologies. (rail ~ 190mph; maglev ~ 300mph)
But as an island economy with scant energy resources of their own, yes I would be in favor of energy efficient, electricly powered, conventional light-rail/monorail transit systems. It'd be a shame to spoil the Irish countryside with multilane freeways and pollution from gasoline engine emissions. Bad for the tourist industry, you know. Not to mention keeping the Irish enslaved to the Brits and OPECkers for their oil.
"Erin go Braugh"
Yes, that man has balls of steel. I wish we had more like him with the courage to stand up to the trade unions and socialist government.
I wish he was running Irish Ferries.....
Please please send him up North to sort out the Derry to Belfast route! It is an abomination! It makes the DART look like the height of all that is hi tech and efficient! And can he stop the wankers laying suspect devices on the Belfast to Dublin line? Im sick of getting stranded in godforsaken Newry or horror of horrors - Dundalk! (Please dont tell me your mother's from there....)
Seeing that Blair and Bertie won't do it...
Im sick of getting stranded in godforsaken Newry or horror of horrors - Dundalk! (Please dont tell me your mother's from there....)
Her brother lives there! Still, not a big fan of Dundalk meself, except for Brendan McGahon of course!!!
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