International Air Group CEO Willie Walsh defended a competitor, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, against criticisms about O’Leary’s cheap, charge-for-every-extra airline.
Well, we guess you could call it a defense.
Walsh, speaking in Baltimore at the Boyd Group’s annual aviation conference on Monday, called O’Leary “a good friend of mine. I don’t believe anything he ever says. But the world is a better place with one Michael O’Leary.” He added: “Two Michael O’Learys might be a disaster.”
O’Leary has made the news recently by suggesting that Ryanair wants to listen to customers and improve its customer service. “Please send me your suggestions as to how Ryanair can further improve our industry leading customer service,” O’Leary wrote in an Oct. 14 statement. “All suggestions will be gratefully acknowledged by me. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.”