RYANAIR CHIEF MICHAEL O\u2019Leary has issued an apology for previously comparing competitor airlines to \u201crapists\u201d.<\/p>\n
He had initially refused to apologise<\/a> after he was accused of trivialising rape but in a video message shared by Virgin Media News, he acknowledged that the remarks caused \u201cconsiderable upset and offence\u201d.<\/p>\n Last week, he told reporters at the company\u2019s headquarters:<\/a> \u201cYou might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair.<\/p>\n \u201cBut you know they\u2019ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA, and others desperate to get to Ryanair\u2019s low fares because they can\u2019t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n He later repeated the \u201chigh-fare rapists\u201d comments.<\/p>\n He then said rape was a \u201cterrible crime\u201d but rejected the assertion he was trivialising rape.<\/p>\n In a video message today, O\u2019Leary said he was \u201cquizzed by the press if I was trivialising rape\u201d after he made the remarks.<\/p>\n He added: \u201cI replied by asserting my firm belief that rape is a heinous and terrible crime which cannot be trivialised. I believe I couldn\u2019t have been clearer in this regard.\u201d<\/p>\n EXCLUSIVE: Michael O’ Leary apologises over “rapist” remarks. <\/p>\n Our reporter Mair\u00e9ad Cleary will have the latest on #VMNews<\/a> at 5.30pm.<\/p>\n More on Virgin Media PLAY pic.twitter.com\/uXnEOicUHl<\/a><\/p>\n