Ryanair hit back at UK environment minister Ian Pearson, calling him “foolish” after the minister described chief executive Michael O’Leary’s attitude to climate change as “off the wall”.
The airline has offered five million free seats “to celebrate” the fact that “Ryanair will continue to be Europe’s greenest airline while opposing so-called environmental taxes”.
In an interview in The Guardian, Pearson said: “O’Leary seems to take pride in refusing to recognise that climate change is a genuine problem. Ryanair is the irresponsible face of capitalism.”
But O’Leary said: “Pearson hasn’t a clue what he is talking about.” He added it was time “foolish politicians tackled the real causes of climate change, which are road transport and power generation”.
Pearson criticised other airlines, saying: “The industry has to take its share of responsibility for combating climate change.” But the minister singled out Ryanair because of its opposition to including airlines in a European emissions trading scheme that will add some of the environmental cost of carbon dioxide emissions to fares.
Ryanair argues its new fleet of aircraft make it proportionally less polluting than many other airlines. However, its rapid growth means overall emissions are rising fast just as some major polluting industries, such as power stations, are being required to cut back.
Writing exclusively in this week’s Travel Weekly Sir Richard Branson has told the airline industry it can no longer ignore its environmental impact and sets out what he believes airlines, airports and aircfact manufacturers should do to combat climate change.
Further reading
- Listen to the original interview with Ian Pearson – mp3 from Guardian Unlimited