Ryanair hits back at BBC with free seat giveaway

Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary has come out with all guns blazing following yesterday's BBC Panorama programme about the Irish low-cost carrier.

Unveiling details of a 1.1 million seat giveaway – 100,000 for every "false or misleading claim" made by Panorama – the airline boss said the BBC had "no case, no facts and no clue".

Its broadcast, which featured an impromptu interview with Mr O'Leary in a Dublin car-park, effectively alleged that the carrier dupes customers with hidden charges.

Panorama had promised to conduct an investigation into the usability of Ryanair's website as well as its employment practices and industry negotiating tactics.

Dubbed 'Why Hate Ryanair?', the show was widely billed as an exposé on the no-frills airline. But by focusing almost solely on previously-reported surcharges and remarks by anonymous Ryanair employees it has been dismissed as a "hatchet job" by Mr O'Leary.

The broadcast evoked such strong resentment from the Ryanair camp that it took the unusual step of publishing all correspondences between the airline and the BBC.

"Last night's programme was more Bananarama than Panorama," Mr O'Leary said in a press release. "The BBC had no case, no facts and no clue. The only benefit it provided to viewers was the 1.1 million free seats Ryanair will give away as a result of its false claims."

Panorama repeatedly questioned whether Ryanair is up-front about its surcharges, at one point drafting in a "website usability expert" to critique its booking form.

But after failing to find any concrete evidence of deception, it then shifted its focus to staff – noting that Ryanair cabin crew are only refunded for purchasing their uniforms after one year with the company – before repeating an allegation that Mr O'Leary is a "bully".

Ryanair snidely responded: "This is clearly false when the whole world knows that O'Leary is a kind and gentle, caring and thoughtful, sensitive and saintly human being widely beloved by all."

Bizarrely, the programme also featured an interview with Mr O'Leary in a car-park in Dublin. He had refused to grant an interview to the BBC without being given assurances that his remarks would not be edited, but was cornered by the broadcaster after leaving Ryanair's AGM.

During the exchange, which is available in full on the BBC website, Mr O'Leary accused his interviewer of wasting licence-payers' money by flying to Dublin on bmi.

His performance received an overwhelmingly positive response in the blogosphere, with many people reserving their criticism for the BBC. After inviting comments on the show, @TimesTravel tweeted: "#Panorama getting more of a bashing on Twitter than #Ryanair."

Ryanair currently flies 66 million people to destinations across Europe each year. It is one of the few airlines to have posted profits throughout the recession.

© Cheapflights Ltd

Comments

[Roman]

When it comes to PR O'Leary is a chief, Panorama should have realised that before and try to make a better programme. The only way to point out Ryanair’s weaknesses is to show how cutting costs could involve passenger safety.

[Jackie]

Without Ryanair I would never be able to fly. Thank you so much for giving me the chance. Are the BBC saying 66 million people got it wrong? Hope the profits increase and more destinations are created!