18/09/2008

Bare-Chested Protester Disrupts Ryanair AGM

A bare-chested protester has stormed the Ryanair AGM in Dublin, ambushing the Airline's 'celebrity' Chief Executive Officer.

Rob Mac, from Lahinch in Co Clare, burst into the meeting with 'Exposing Ryanair's Lies' painted on his chest with the intention of disrupting the meeting at Dublin Airport in order to raise climate change issues with the Ryanair boss.

The protestor, dressed only in a pair of black trousers, accused the low-fares airline of lying about the damage the air industry is doing to the environment and called for more taxes to be levelled at the airline industry in a bid to reduce air travel.

However, Michael O'Leary engaged with Mr Mac, dismissing the idea that increased taxes would curb environmental problems as 'rubbish'.

Before the outburst, the AGM heard how the airline was not changing its full-year prediction on its performance, which has improved from the previous "break-even to minus €60m" to a current "break-even" based on oil remaining at $100 per barrel in the last quarter of the year.

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary said: "We believe there will be further airline bankruptcies in Europe over the coming weeks, as more of Europe's non-viable, loss making airlines run out of cash or their credit facilities are withdrawn."

(DW)

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