Business Communication and Character

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Ryanair CEO "Ruffles Feathers" (Again)

No stranger to controversy, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary angered people during a recent Twitter chat. You may recall that O'Leary called a customer "stupid" and other insults when she complained about being charged €300 for not printing boarding passes ahead of time. Ryanair is a discount airline and charges fees for extra services.

Now, a PR Daily article says O'Leary invited criticism as part of a "PR stunt." Although some tweets were deleted, Skift captured a few choice examples:

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Ryanair tweet

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Discussion Starters:

  • What do you think of Michael O'Leary's approach on Twitter?
  • Take a look at the Google Image search of Michael O'Leary. What's your reaction? Does he overdo the stunts, is he being who he wants to be, or something else?
  • Do you find his tweets and other communications offensive or not?