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As Europe\u2019s largest airline\u2014and a low-cost one at that\u2014Ryanair is no stranger to bad press. It\u2019s ranked as among the worst short-haul airlines<\/a> and offers limited perks to customers unless they pay (including charging for water).\u00a0<\/p>\n The airline infamously even considered charging for toilet use at one stage and is currently in hot water over its decision to introduce new charges for families to sit together.<\/p>\n But negative press isn\u2019t such a bad thing, O\u2019Leary argues.<\/p>\n \u201cThe funny thing we\u2019ve learned over the years is actually the bad publicity sells far more seats than the good,\u201d O\u2019Leary told the Wall Street Journal<\/em><\/a>. He added that it prompts people to look up the company and discover rock-bottom fares in the process.\u00a0<\/p>\n Ryanair\u2019s way of coping with customer disapproval is simple\u2014sassy responses on social media.\u00a0The CEO famously got pied in the face by climate activists<\/a>, which was a big social media frenzy, to which Ryanair\u2019s X account said in a post: \u201cInstead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price.\u201d<\/p>\n Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price \ud83d\ude0f pic.twitter.com\/8jruYI3ZxE<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ryanair (@Ryanair) September 7, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n The Irish budget airline also regularly replies to fliers\u2019 qualms on the platform with savage remarks. When a customer complained about not having a window at his seat on his Ryanair flight as he headed on his honeymoon, Ryanair responded in a post on X, saying: \u201cShe\u2019s regretting marrying someone who can\u2019t read the fine print.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n She\u2019s regretting marrying someone who can\u2019t read the fine print https:\/\/t.co\/GMjelExn0s<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Ryanair (@Ryanair) May 3, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n O\u2019Leary himself is known for never mincing his words. He called the U.K.\u2019s air traffic authority report \u201crubbish<\/a>\u201d last summer after a technical glitch disrupted thousands of flights. When aircraft maker Boeing delayed plane deliveries in 2022<\/a>, O\u2019Leary called its top leadership a group of \u201cheadless chickens\u201d who need to \u201creboot, or boot up the a**.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite his hot-takes, the Ryanair chief says he loves the airline\u2019s customers who \u201cobey the rules.\u201d The company allocates roughly $20 million to marketing, which, O\u2019Leary admits, he doesn\u2019t know much about. Ryanair has active TikTok, Instagram and X accounts, all of which share snappy and funny posts.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have no idea what the hell they do, but my children tell me that our TikTok account is really cool,\u201d O\u2019Leary said. \u201cWe let them say anything, do anything, we don\u2019t care who they offend, abuse, insult, tease.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ryanair has watched the appetite for travel bounce back slowly but surely. In September, it flew more passengers than it did during the same month in 2022 or even pre-pandemic<\/a>, pointing to robust demand despite economic volatility.\u00a0<\/p>\n The time is ripe for Ryanair to expand to new horizons\u2014and O\u2019Leary hopes it can grow to 30% of the European market from 20% in the next decade, he told the Journal<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n But his focus is not just to make the Irish company a mammoth-sized player in the airline market.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not that interested in whether we\u2019re the biggest airline in the world, as long as we\u2019re the most profitable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n O\u2019Leary, the Dublin-based airline\u2019s CEO of 30 years, has turned the company from obscurity to Europe\u2019s largest airline by passenger numbers. Although profits remain front-and-center for Ryanair, O\u2019Leary\u2019s wrangle with travel platforms has hurt its full-year profit expectations.\u00a0<\/p>\n In January, Ryanair cut its November profit<\/a> estimate by 5% to between \u20ac1.85 billion ($2 billion) and \u20ac1.95 billion ($2.13 billion) after it was forced to lower fares to fill seats when travel agents stopped listing its flights.\u00a0<\/p>\n Its full-year earnings for the year ending in March are due to be released<\/a> in May.\u00a0\n\n
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Profit above all<\/h2>\n
Ryanair didn\u2019t immediately return Fortune<\/em>\u2019s request for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nSubscribe to the new Fortune CEO Weekly Europe newsletter to get corner office insights on the biggest business stories in Europe. Sign up<\/a> for free.<\/div>\n