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Management Theory for Michael O'Leary

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Introduction Michael O’Leary is the abrasive chief executive of Europe’s largest low-cost airline Ryanair . His dogged unrepentant style was a winning strategy for an upstart airline trying to establish itself. His obsession with cutting costs as well as trying to always put one over on the large national carriers is what makes him appear arrogant to most people. His press conferences are usually very theatrical; it is not unusual to see him dress up as any thing from the Pope to, a large Mobile Phone. O’Leary has brought Ryanair from nowhere to become the continents largest carrier, his no frills low cost service has helped make air travel affordable to most people. His unorthodox approach to business includes turning the usual …show more content…

He competed with the major airlines by providing a "no-frills" low-cost service. Flights were scheduled into regional airports, which offered lower landing and handling charges than larger established international airports. O 'Leary was Deputy Chief Executive of Ryanair between 1991 and 1994. In January 1994 he was promoted to chief executive of Ryanair. Before he became chief executive O 'Leary persuaded Ryan to cut him a secret financial deal, he would take home 25 per cent of any profits above £2m. By the end of 1996, he had banked £20m and when the airline floated on the Dublin Stock exchange and the NASDAQ Stock exchange in 1997, he was handed a 22 per cent stake in the airline. In 1998, flush with new capital, the airline placed a massive $2 billion order for 45 new Boeing 737-800 series aircraft. His thanks to Tony Ryan for his new found welth was to edge him out of the chairmanship soon afterwards. O’Leary always seemed to be one step ahead of the other European airlines and in 2000, with online booking initially said to be a small and unimportant part of the business, he could see that online booking contributed to the aim of cutting flight prices by selling direct to passengers and excluding the costs imposed by travel agents. Within its first year the website was handling three-quarters of all bookings, and today it is the only way anyone can book a Ryanair flight. Other cost cutting messures O’Leary has

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