AIRLINES: The Minister for Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, should brace herself for a continued public onslaught from Ryanair boss Mr Michael O'Leary.It was his 41st birthday yesterday but Mr O'Leary showed no signs of mellowing in his hostility towards the Minister he blames for thwarting his ambitions at Dublin Airport.
In characteristically derogatory terms, he offered his assessment of the Minister's abilities to an audience of predominantly male (and sombre-suited) investors. He suggested that the far right-wing anti-immigration Austrian politician Mr Jorg Haider, whom he met earlier this week, should come here to replace "Mammy".
Mr O'Leary said he would continue to "bore" the public with his tirade of abuse against Ms O'Rourke until the general election.
"After that I hope she goes to Education or Health where they deserve her," he added.
Mr O'Leary was due to speak during lunch to delegates at NCB's Irish Equity Conference in Dublin but upset the schedule by opting to follow EasyJet boss Mr Ray Webster - and deliver the odd jibe in the process.
He trotted out all the slogans; the difference between Ryanair and other low-fares airlines was that it had the lowest fares and within six to eight years it would be the largest airline in Europe.
"We just can't help ourselves from making money in these bountiful times," he chirped.
Other accolades the airline has picked up recently include the "most sued airline" in Germany as it battles it out with Lufthansa or "Lufty" as Mr O'Leary affectionately refers to them.
There are 18 legal actions outstanding between the high fliers, with Ryanair viewing the dispute as part of a brand-building exercise to attract new customers.
Like Ms O'Rourke, Mr O'Leary will continue to irritate "Lufty" for some time yet.
"We are carrying 120,000 passengers a week at Frankfurt-Hahn. Lufty has made us the best-known airline in Germany," he said.
He also ensured the fund managers knew just how good a deal he had cut with Boeing in January to buy 150 new aircraft.
"We raped them," he declared. "We bought when nobody else was buying."
Mr O'Leary predicted that low-cost airlines were the way of the future and would dislodge traditional carriers.
He told investors Ryanair would continue to grow and prosper - with no sign that its controversial and often abusive strategy to achieve those ends would wane.
