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Ryanair CEO: Swine flu only affects 'slum dwellers'
I'm apprehensive about giving any press to the buffoon who runs the Irish budget airline Ryanair. But so adept is Michael O'Leary, the company's CEO, at making ill-considered statements that its simply too easy to report them. This is the guy who recently suggested that Ryanair might begin charging for use of its on board toilets, and a while back suggested that the airline might start giving out blow jobs.
Mr. O'Leary today weighs in on the fears surrounding swine flu, saying the virus is only a risk to Asians and Mexicans "living in slums," according to the Times of London.
Now it's true that the media are probably hyping swine flu a bit too much, with all the talk of a global pandemic, but clearly this is not just a problem of the slums. Travelers who have vacationed in well developed places like Cancun have returned home to find themselves infected.
"Are we going to die from swine flu? No. Are we in danger of SARS? No. Foot and mouth disease? No. Will it affect people flying short-haul flights around Europe this summer? Thankfully, no," Mr O'Leary said, according to the Times.
"It is a tragedy only for people living ... in slums in Asia or Mexico. But will the honeymoon couple from Edinburgh die? No. A couple of Strepsils will do the job."
What do you think? Is the media making too much of the swine flu? Will in impact travel?
Filed under: Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shawn Apr 28th 2009 10:50PM
That guy is a tool. Who let him run an airline?
Anyways, to the question of whether it will impact travel - I think it will. Travel anywhere outside your region lives and dies by fear of the unknown. So this will give people cause to maybe shelf a more adventurous trip for another time. And it will certainly impact Mexico's tourism which is going to take this one right in the teeth.
Yes, the media does overhype it also. Fear sells!
johnmc Apr 29th 2009 12:19AM
He never said that Ryanair would be giving away BJs - that was his new long haul transatlantic airline and only in First Class, which was going to be ridiculously expensive.
DJ Apr 29th 2009 2:59AM
And you think he shows class by making the 'BJ' statement at all? This man is so low class, it's sad. Thank God he lives in Ireland. They can have him!