Ryanair CEO calls rivals 'air pirates', sees fare-driven shift to low-cost carrier

Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary publicly disparaged European legacy carriers as 'air pirates', arguing that their higher ticket prices will drive cost-conscious passengers to Ryanair. The statement is promotional rhetoric rather than a market-moving event, but signals intensifying price competition in European aviation. No operational or financial data was provided, so the claim is unverified.