Is Michael O’Leary a genius or a villain? O’Leary can be seen as the “most hated man in aviation.” But love him or hate him, one thing is undeniable: he changed air travel forever.

As the longtime CEO of Ryanair, O’Leary took a small Irish airline and turned it into Europe’s largest carrier. His approach was as brutal as it was effective.

Along the way, he made headlines for offering cheap flights, delivering ridiculous quotes, and employing unapologetic business tactics that defied industry norms.

But in the same breath, he's praised for making flying affordable for millions.

So who really is Michael O’Leary?

Let’s dive into the man behind the controversy.

O’Leary didn’t invent budget air travel, but he popularized, and mastered it.

Inspired by Southwest Airlines, he made flying as simple as possible.No free food, no seat selection, no frills. “Air transport is just a glorified bus operation,” he famously said.

He bet that passengers would trade comfort for cheap fares, and he was right.

Ryanair now flies over 200 million passengers annually, and its influence forced legacy airlines across Europe to create budget subsidiaries to keep up.

How you may ask?

Upselling, and pushing boundaries, causing heavy backlash at times.

Here are some reasons why he carried that title.

Charging for toilets:O’Leary once proposed a £1 fee to use onboard lavatories. He later admitted it was mainly for the PR, but the media storm brought Ryanair to the forefront.

Standing-room flights: Another headline-grabber. He presented the idea of vertical “seats” to cram more people on board. Regulators weren’t amused.

Mocking passengers: “People will crawl naked over broken glass to fly with us,” he once said when Ryanair’s customer service was under fire.

Fights with unions and governments: O’Leary has clashed with pilots, air traffic controllers, regulators, and almost every airport authority in Europe. He once called French air traffic controllers “lazy bastards.”

Yet, these controversies only seemed to fuel Ryanair’s publicity engine, and O’Leary loved playing the villain.

Behind the bluster is a razor-sharp businessman.

In 2025, he hit a €100 million share bonus after Ryanair’s stock stayed above its target for 28 consecutive days.


Despite a packed industry, Ryanair posted record profits and record passenger numbers in 2024–2025.


He’s received several awards, including European Businessman of the Year, and was credited with democratizing air travel in Europe.

He's A Winner

Outside the boardroom, O’Leary is a family man and a passionate racehorse owner.

Through his Gigginstown House Stud, he’s won some of horse racing’s top honors, including the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Despite his public persona, those close to him describe a deeply intelligent, focused, and loyal individual who plays the “loudmouth” role to serve a purpose.

O'Leary wants to make sure Ryan Air is in the mind of new travelers, ALWAYS.

Michael O’Leary is not your typical CEO. He doesn't sugarcoat. He doesn't apologize. And he certainly doesn't care if you like him.

But his legacy is already clear.

He made flying cheap, accessible, and more competitive. His approach might ruffle feathers, but maybe that’s the cost of changing the game.