Ryanair’s boss is known for his aggressive statements. Now his company is attacking the Irish Greens online.
The budget airline Ryanair is causing a stir online with a campaign against cycling and the Irish Greens. Under the hashtag flightsnotbikes – flights instead of bikes – the company account on X has been attacking the Irish Greens and their transport policy for several days. The “Spiegel” was the first to report on this.
The focus of the controversy is Ireland’s Green Minister for Climate and Transport, Eamon Ryan. Following the European elections, he announced that he would step down as Green Party leader and would not stand in the next elections. Ryanair posted a picture of the party’s deputy leader Catherine Martin on X with the request that “please do not recycle green waste”.
Ryanair’s attack also concerns a dispute over a cap on air traffic at Dublin Airport. The airline also accuses the Greens of failings in tourism and transport policy.
Aviation accounts for around 2.5 percent of climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions
Flying is by far the most climate-damaging way to travel. Flying to Sydney once is equivalent to driving a car for about four years, according to calculations by the Federal Environment Agency. The agency therefore recommends avoiding air travel wherever possible and using alternatives. Overall, air traffic accounts for around 2.5 percent of global emissions of climate-damaging greenhouse gases.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary is known for his pithy statements and aggressive campaigns, whether against environmentalists, unions or competitors. In an interview, he once described Lufthansa as a “crack cocaine junkie asking for state aid”.
Source: Stern
