Michael O'Leary

Spain's Ministry of Consumer Affairs imposed a €107,775,777 fine on Ryanair for several practices, including certain cabin baggage, seating and boarding pass printing charges.

State of the evidence

administrative sanction documented

Legal status — source text

sanction contested; provisional judicial suspension and European proceedings concerning compatibility with EU law

Attribution

attribution limited to Ryanair's strategy under his leadership; the sanction targets the company

In late 2025, Italy's AGCM fined Ryanair €255.76 million, finding that the airline had used its dominant position to hinder online and physical travel agencies, particularly through technical and commercial restrictions.

State of the evidence

AGCM decision documented

Attribution

governance attribution to O'Leary; sanction legally imposed on Ryanair DAC and Ryanair Holdings

O'Leary met the conditions of a scheme potentially awarding him options/shares worth more than €100 million, one of Europe's largest variable remuneration packages. The size of the gain prompted debate about inequality and remuneration governance.

State of the evidence

incentive scheme and achievement of conditions documented

Legal status — source text

no legal proceedings

Attribution

governance responsibility shared with the board/shareholders; direct personal benefit to O'Leary

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority opened an investigation in June 2026 into the mandatory seat charge paid by an adult to sit with a child and how that charge appears in the total price.

State of the evidence

CMA investigation officially opened

Legal status — source text

investigation opened; no finding of infringement as at 31 August 2026

Attribution

governance responsibility for pricing policy; no personal wrongdoing established

In June 2026, Austria's Supreme Court ruled fourteen clauses in Ryanair's terms unlawful, particularly concerning check-in, boarding pass printing, infant and name-change fees, on grounds of transparency and contractual fairness.

State of the evidence

Austrian Supreme Court ruling reported and Ryanair's response documented

Legal status — source text

14 clauses in the terms and conditions found unlawful in Austria; obligation to cease using them

Attribution

attribution to Ryanair's commercial policy under O'Leary; judgment against the company

O'Leary announced that Ryanair would increase to €2.50 and remove the cap on bonuses paid to staff detecting bags exceeding permitted dimensions, while passengers may face substantial charges at the gate.

State of the evidence

bonus policy publicly announced

Legal status — source text

no personal legal proceedings

Attribution

personal responsibility for defending and increasing the bonus

American investors accused Ryanair and O'Leary of misleading the market about labour relations, the pilot shortage and the likelihood of unionisation. After several years of proceedings, the parties agreed to a $5 million settlement.

State of the evidence

class action and $5 million settlement documented

Legal status — source text

civil settlement without admission of wrongdoing; several claims had been dismissed before the agreement

Attribution

O'Leary was personally named as a defendant alongside Ryanair

Ryanair refused refunds for flights that continued operating despite travel restrictions, offering free changes instead. Meanwhile, Which? challenged O'Leary's claim that all direct customers who had requested a cash refund had received one.

State of the evidence

refund policy and complaints documented

Legal status — source text

consumer disputes/investigations depending on jurisdiction; no personal conviction of the CEO in this incident

Attribution

management responsibility for commercial policy and his public statements

In an interview, O'Leary stated that perpetrators of terrorist attacks were generally single men 'of a Muslim persuasion', triggering accusations of racism and Islamophobia.

State of the evidence

reported remarks and public reaction documented

Legal status — source text

no legal proceedings identified

Attribution

personal responsibility for his statements

A holiday scheduling error and pilot shortage caused thousands of cancellations affecting approximately 700,000 passengers. O'Leary initially took a hard line towards pilots, then apologised, and Ryanair recognised trade unions for the first time to avoid strikes; industrial disputes continued in 2018.

State of the evidence

cancellations, dispute with pilots, union recognition and strikes documented

Attribution

management responsibility as CEO

O'Leary repeatedly announced that Ryanair was considering charging passengers to use toilets and reducing the number of toilets to add seats. The idea became emblematic of the airline's provocative communications.

State of the evidence

O'Leary's repeated statements documented; proposal not implemented

Legal status — source text

no legal proceedings

Attribution

personal responsibility for the public proposal

O'Leary attacked environmental criticism of aviation, described a British minister as 'foolish and ill-informed', disputed aviation's contribution to global warming and denounced the European emissions trading scheme as a tax.

State of the evidence

public statements documented

Legal status — source text

no legal proceedings

Attribution

personal responsibility for his statements and Ryanair's public position

A passenger with cerebral palsy and arthritis sued Ryanair after being charged for wheelchair assistance at Stansted. British courts found discrimination and liability on the part of the airline, shared with the airport.

State of the evidence

judgment and appeal documented

Legal status — source text

Ryanair and Stansted found liable; Ryanair's appeal concerning its liability dismissed, with responsibility shared with the airport

Attribution

corporate governance responsibility under O'Leary; judgment legally against Ryanair, not a personal conviction of the CEO