Authors: Alan Ruddock
I also stretched to breaking point the patience of my publisher at Penguin Ireland, Michael McLoughlin, with my disregard for deadlines and publication dates. The trouble with Ryanair and Michael O'Leary is that they never pause for breath, and there is never a natural end point for a book about a business that refuses to stop growing, changing and surprising.
My thanks too to Natasha Fairweather, my agent at AP Watt, who managed to retain her sense of humour throughout this project and whose enthusiasm never dimmed.
Many, many people have helped me along the way, providing insight (and prejudice) both on and off the record. They will recognize their contributions.
Tony Ryan kindly provided me with his original business plans for Irelandia, the project that emerged a few years later as Ryanair. Without his determination and willingness to risk his personal fortune on a dream, there would be no Ryanair, and no book.
As the epigraph suggests, Michael O'Leary had no interest in this book. I have, however, interviewed him on a number of occasions for newspapers and magazines, and have drawn extensively from those interviews.
And finally my apologies to my family, who have endured the
frustrations of the process, and who have waited with decreasing patience for me to finish so that I could honour my initial promise: that, once finished, I would give up smoking.
â Alan Ruddock
*
Ryanair switched to reporting in euros when the new currency was introduced in 2002.
advertising
141â2
,
146â7
,
237
,
238
,
250â52
,
259
Aer Lingus
and GPA
17
Tony Ryan and
19
and competition
22â3
,
24
,
25â6
,
27â8
,
29
,
30
in 1980s
26â7
DublinâLondon service
39
competing with Ryanair
43â4
,
52
,
53
,
65
oppose Ryanair's proposed services
40
,
41
,
42
operations from Manchester
52â3
O'Neill sues
56â7
and changes in government policy
65â8
,
69â72
battling with Ryanair again
78â9
offer to buy Ryanair
105â7
worst year ever
107â8
state aid
108â111
,
115â17
,
205â6
website
226
pilots
232
drop Stansted service
239
financial problems
239â40
effects of 9/11
284
DublinâEdinburgh service
292
best value award
335
Willie Walsh and
373â83
partial sale of
403â6
,
407
,
408
Ryanair acquires stake in
408â13
Aer Rianta
extension plans for Dublin airport
134
and Ryanair
135â6
and baggage handlers dispute
187
,
188
,
204
charges at Dublin airport
195
,
196
Ryanair rebates from
203
charges dispute at Dublin airport
210â13
214
,
216
,
218â19
,
247â8
and MO'L proposals for new Dublin terminal
221â2
,
236
,
237â8
and Shannon airport
235â6
sue Ryanair
261â2
and independent airport regulator
279
proposed extension at Dublin airport
280
complaint about Ryanair to Competition Authority
293â4
and low-cost facility at Dublin airport
290
,
297
continuing disputes with MO'L
291
,
335
,
336â8
break-up of
338â9
Ahern, Bertie
69
and airline policy in 1989
69
and baggage handlers dispute
188
,
189
,
197
MO'L and
297
Mara and
298
and Mary O'Rourke
304â5
self-proclaimed socialism
373
and Aer Lingus
373
,
378
,
379
,
379â81
,
382
,
383â4
,
405
,
408
AirAsia
370
Air Deccan
Air UK
131
Airbus A320 jets
90
aircraft
Ryanair fleet
90
,
117â18
,
147
,
174
,
176â7
,
190â92
,
216â17
,
253
turnaround time
87
,
87â8
,
178
,
223â4
airfares
Ryanair and low
88â90
,
240â41
,
245â6
,
248
price controls
100â101
airline industry 1980s
25
European deregulation
52
,
99â101
and London bombings
389â90
environmental issues and
416
airport charges
Dublin
135
,
136
,
195
,
207â8
,
210â13
,
218â19
Manchester
219â20
American Airlines
284
ASAs (Advertising Standards Authorities)
237
,
238
,
251â2
ATGWU
172
Avair
22â3
Ayling, Bob
255
BA
see
British Airways
BAA
see
British Airports Authority
BAC One-Eleven jets
90
baggage, charging for
391
,
392
,
418
baggage handlers dispute at Dublin airport
172â3
,
178â80
,
182â3
,
185â90
,
203â5
Baldonnel, plans for airport at
133â4
,
220â21
Baldwin, Caroline
215
Banotti, Mary
184
Barrable, Barry
176
Barrett, Sean
30â31
Beauvais airport
148
,
149
,
161
,
259â60
Bellew, Peter
and Ryanair Holidays
72â3
marketing manager at Kerry airport
149â50
,
217
,
233
,
234â5
,
326â7
Berger, Bernard
90â91
,
121
,
317
Bergin, Rita
256
Big Brother
252
Bisignani, Giovanni
390
Blair, Captain Charles
23â4
Blair, Tony
281
Blaney, Paddy
140
Blue Skies
178
Boeing
176â7
,
190â91
,
285â7
,
294â7
,
366â71
Boeing 737 jets
Southwest Airlines
87
Ryanair
117â18
,
147
,
191
,
216
,
253
,
296
easyJet
254
800 series
295
forward airstairs
368
Bonderman, David
investment in Ryanair
140â41
,
142
,
144
chairman of Ryanair
151
and London flotation
200â201
,
201â2
sells shares in Ryanair
218
,
219
and Ryanair stake in Aer Lingus
408
,
409
Brady, Conor
221
Brady, Warwick
Brazil, Tony
108
Brennan, P.J.
158
Brennan, Seamus
minister of transport
65â6
,
67â70
,
72
,
99
opposition transport spokesman
135
minister of transport again
305â6
,
308â10
,
336
,
338
,
339
and MO'L and taxi
342
on Aer Lingus
384
British Airports Authority (BAA)
64â5
,
406
British Airways (BA)
DublinâLondon route
39
pulling out of Irish routes
77â8
and London-Scotland route
131
franchise partners
138
negotiations to buy stake in Ryanair
138â9
low-cost operator
178
,
201
,
208
,
254
,
255
,
291â2
,
294
sue Ryanair
260â61
effects of 9/11
284
fuel surcharges
390â91
Brosnan, Denis
150
Brown, John
346
Byrne, Brian J.
261â2
Carcassonne airport
198â9
cargo services
175
Cassani, Barbara
201
,
255
,
291â2
,
294
Castlepollard, Westmeath
9
catering department, Ryanair
77
Catholic Church
250â51
Cawley, Michael
chief financial officer Ryanair
177â8
interview after Labour Court report
204â5
and Ryanair deal with Hertz
209
and setting up website
229
and Rimini airport
276â7
and communications
310
at Monday meetings
319
possible successor to MO'L
365
,
418
press conference at Dublin airport
385
,
386
and Cork airport
402â3
Channel 4 documentary on Ryanair
397â8
,
399â400
Chapman, Phil
125
Charleroi airport
148
and new Ryanair services
149
,
161
Ryanair European base
270â72
,
287â8
European Commission investigation
312â16
,
354â60
new deal with Ryanair
394
Chatty, Kerim Sadok
308
Cheltenham Festival 2006
400â402
Christian Brothers school, Mullingar
3
Cityjet
114â15
Clifton, Charlie
42
,
43
,
77
,
118
,
142
,
169
,
317
Clongowes Wood College
7â8
,
10â12
Club Travel
28â9
Clune, Flan
256
Collins, Andrew
332
Collins, Liam
348â9
Competition Authority, Irish
159
,
293â4
Continental
284