Ryanair’s O’Leary attacks big rivals on CO2 emissions

RYANAIR Holdings CEO Michael O’Leary declared the single biggest step people can take to cut carbon emissions is to stop flying with British Airways, Lufthansa and similar major carriers, reports Bloomberg.

“Everyone who switches to Ryanair from one of Europe’s legacy airlines, the old tax-exempt, polluting BA, Lufthansa, Air France, is reducing their environmental footprint 50 per cent on intra-EU air travel,” said Mr O’Leary.

Mr O’Leary also attacked the International Air Transport Association, stating that the virtues of the fuel-efficient planes used by most discounters are a message you won’t hear from the trade group.

International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general Willie Walsh dismissed O’Leary’s comments, saying the Ryanair CEO had once said airline industry leaders were prone to hyperbole.

Although IATA members have supported a commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, Eurocontrol director general Eamonn Brennan declared that the industry has already lost the PR battle on carbon and that environmental activism is taking over.

Meanwhile, Mr O’Leary declared long-haul operations should no longer be excluded from the EU’s carbon market rules since those flights produce the most pollution.

“All we’re taxing is European citizens on their intra-EU air travel while we exempt the Chinese, Americans, the Russians, and the Asians.” said Mr O’Leary.