Company Watch: What didn’t kill Ryanair made it stronger

The low-cost airline has emerged from the pandemic fighting fit and ready to benefit from the woes of less fortunate rivals

Listening to Michael O’Leary, the Ryanair chief executive, you would never guess that the aviation sector had been ravaged by a pandemic for 16 months. Picture: Getty

Michael O’Leary may have experienced swingeing cuts to his pay packet last year, but the Ryanair chief executive has perhaps never been happier, as the airline emerges from the pandemic in rude health.

The outspoken airline boss saw his pay packet fall from €958,000 the previous year to €250,000 in the 12 months to the end of March 2021, after agreeing to his basic €500,000 salary being cut in half for the year.

The additional ...