Source: Speak Up
Standard: British Accent
Language level: Basic
Michael O’Leary
Michael O’Leary started a revolution in Europe’s travel business. He is the eccentric Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ryanair, the incredibly successful low-cost airline. There are people who hate him; others call him a genius. He doesn’t really care, as long as Ryanair continues its meteoric rise. Ryanair was founded by Tony Ryan in 1985. That year his airline had 51 employees, two planes and carried 5.000 passengers between Ireland and Britain. Michael O’Leary joined the company in 1988 and became CEO in 1994. He completely transformed it: today Ryanair has 2.600 employees, and uses over 100 planes on 233 routes throughout Europe.
THE MAGIC FORMULA
What is the secret of Ryanair’s success? O’Leary cut costs dramatically: he stripped planes to the minimum, removing even the pocket behind seats; he makes employees pay for their own training and uniforms; he has reduced the time between flights to 25 minutes. Why does Ryanair sell some seats for as little as one cent? Because this guarantees full planes for all flights, and increase the sale of refreshments. O’Leary’s policies are successful: profits for 2006 were over 350 millions. O’Leary has a reputation as a difficult man. He meets Europe’s top bankers wearing jeans and a shirt; he called the European Commissioners “morons,” British Airways “expensive bastards” and said that travel agents should be “taken out and shot.” In order to use taxi lanes in Dublin, he bought a taxi licence for his car and installed a meter.
RICH KID
Is O’Leary the poor man’s champion? No, he’s a businessman. He comes from an affluent farmer’s family, attended Ireland’s top private school, Clongowes Wood, and studied business at Dublin’s prestigious Trinity College .Today he is a multi-millionaire and lives on a cattle ranch, where he also breeds race horses.
Ironically, he doesn’t like planes, and never wanted to be a pilot he does however, dream of millions of people flying in his planes. He wants to offer all passengers free tickets. He says revenue will come from selling services and advertising. This year Ryanair will offer mobile phone services, and has plans to offer in flight gambling.
O’Leary and the Environment (no audio)
International Airlines, such as British Airways and Virgin Airways, recently formed a “sustainable aviation group” which plans to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, experiment with alternative energy sources and reduce noise pollution.
O’Leary says airlines will reduce their emissions when they go bankrupt. He also points out that cars cause 27 per cent of emissions, whereas airlines cause only 2 per cent. His advice to environmentalists was short and simple: “Sell your cars and walk.” Finally, he suggests other airlines follow Ryanair’s example, by replacing their fleets with modern planes with reduces emissions by 50 per cent, burn 45 per cent less fuel, and reduce noise pollution by 45 per cent.
Ryanair and Complaints
A British documentary criticized Ryanair’s training courses, security protocols and treatment of employees and customers. It suggested that Ryanair is protected by the Irish government and the Irish Aviation Authorities. Ryanair answers that its fleet of planes is the newest in Europe, and its services comply with oil safety regulations, while Ireland’s former Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy says that Ryanair has been one of the top factors in the country’s incredible economic transformation.
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