Michael. Big bollocks. Loudmouth. You’ll find me not very sensitive.” That is how Michael O’Leary replied to a question from the Financial Times two years ago about how he preferred to be addressed. And this is what the chief executive of Ryanair – arguably Europe’s most reviled airline – said back then about the case for being nicer to its customers: “Couldn’t possibly be nicer . . . Our service consists of the lowest fare, an on-time flight on a brand new aircraft. Anything over that: go away,” he declared, amid some trademark expletives.
This week, Mr O’Leary had a rather different message as he outlined the biggest improvements to customer service in the Irish low-cost carrier’s 29-year history. “I want to be loved by my customers – I want my customers to love me the way I love them,” he said.
His sarcasm could not disguise what is a significant U-turn by one of the most powerful people in global aviation. Ryanair had just issued two profit warnings in as many months, and the airline is belatedly realising that it must treat its customers better if it is to succeed with an ambitious growth strategy.