Aer Lingus like Shamrock Rovers

[Paddyfield]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/politics/oleary-pushes-case-for-ryanair-takeover-of-aer-lingus-14113234.html

.....Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has launched another stinging attack on the way Aer Lingus is being run.

Mr O'Leary made the criticism while addressing the Oireachtas transport committee today on Ryanair's latest bid to take over the former state airline.

He told the committee that Ryanair was "the Manchester United of the European airline industry" and Aer Lingus was "much more like Shamrock Rovers".

Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion is also due to address the committee later......

[dcfc1928]

The disparaging remark towards an Irish team as opposed to the foreign one being held up as something to aspire to is sickening and typifies Ryanair's attitude in general. Fair play to Aer Lingus though!

[blackholesun]

An Open Letter to Michael O'Leary
Press Release Issued : 18 Dec 2008
An Open Letter to Michael O'Leary
18/12/2008

Dear Michael

We sincerely hope you are more up to date on matters at Aer Lingus in particular and the airline industry in general than you are about Shamrock Rovers.

You've probably been so busy working all these years that you hadn't noticed the six championships, four FAI Cups and three doubles we've won since the 1980s.

Still Ireland's most successful football club, the Hoops are no longer homeless as we'll be playing in the spanking new Tallaght Stadium from next season. You can't miss the place – it's across from the Square, right in the centre of Tallaght, and just off the M50.

And we're offering great deals on seats. Season tickets for our home games for the entire 2009 campaign start at just €200. Return Ryanair flights to Manchester United's next home game would cost a lot more!

Anyway, thanks for the thought. You may not always be right, but we'll always be Shamrock Rovers - Ireland's greatest football club and now residents of Tallaght.

Yours sincerely

The Board of Shamrock Rovers FC

[Rovers Maniac]

Aer lingus's CEO Dermot Mannion's come back is in this :)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/br...-14113543.html (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/politics/mannion-defends-aer-lingus-after-latest-ryanair-criticism-14113543.html)

[DonO'Bate]

Aer lingus's CEO Dermot Mannion's come back is in this :)

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/br...-14113543.html (http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/politics/mannion-defends-aer-lingus-after-latest-ryanair-criticism-14113543.html)

Excellent reply by Mr Mannion, i have known for a while that he was a big Sligo Rovers fan.

[GalwayRed]

Typical rubbish you come to expect from Michael O Leary

[rebelarmyexile]

Fair paly Mr. Mannion. I would rather fly Shams than Manure any day.

[Paddyfield]

....And we're offering great deals on seats. Season tickets for our home games for the entire 2009 campaign start at just €200. Return Ryanair flights to Manchester United's next home game would cost a lot more....



Brilliant!

[sullanefc]

Its Mullingar Town I feel sorry for in all of this.

[dcfcsteve]

An Open Letter to Michael O'Leary
Press Release Issued : 18 Dec 2008
An Open Letter to Michael O'Leary
18/12/2008

Dear Michael

We sincerely hope you are more up to date on matters at Aer Lingus in particular and the airline industry in general than you are about Shamrock Rovers.

You've probably been so busy working all these years that you hadn't noticed the six championships, four FAI Cups and three doubles we've won since the 1980s.

Still Ireland's most successful football club, the Hoops are no longer homeless as we'll be playing in the spanking new Tallaght Stadium from next season. You can't miss the place – it's across from the Square, right in the centre of Tallaght, and just off the M50.

And we're offering great deals on seats. Season tickets for our home games for the entire 2009 campaign start at just €200. Return Ryanair flights to Manchester United's next home game would cost a lot more!

Anyway, thanks for the thought. You may not always be right, but we'll always be Shamrock Rovers - Ireland's greatest football club and now residents of Tallaght.

Yours sincerely

The Board of Shamrock Rovers FC

Whilst O'Leary's remarks were stupid and unecessary, everything in the above email he would happily agree with. That's his point - he's the 'best in Europe', whilst Aer Lingus are struggling to be best in Ireland.

So he'll probably be glad to receive it.

[holidaysong]

The League of Ireland boycott of Ryanair starts here.

[Sidefx]

The League of Ireland boycott of Ryanair starts here.

Speak for yourself... :rolleyes:

[fergalr]

Excellent prompt response by the Rovers' board. Net outcome is +1 RyanAir but also +1 for the LOI (gotta use every opportunity to grab some positive PR and it might make those barstoolers think a little about value for money in these tough times).

[ps bohs]

eh rovers have only won three cups since the 80's 1985, 1986, 1987.

[BohsFans]

O'Leary in full:


Ryanair are like Man Utd, we draw crowds and win everything. Aer Lingus are like Scumrock Rovers, green and white, homeless, everyone says they support them, but never go, they rely on the Government to bail them out and they have no future!

CLASS :)

[pete]

eh rovers have only won three cups since the 80's 1985, 1986, 1987.

Exactly. Highly selective quote. AL analogy is probably accurate as they were a big airline in the 80s.



You've probably been so busy working all these years that you hadn't noticed the six championships, four FAI Cups and three doubles we've won since the 1980s.

[Billy Lord]

eh rovers have only won three cups since the 80's 1985, 1986, 1987.

Three FAI Challenge Cups + one FAI Super Cup = four FAI cups. :)

[TheBoss]

The League of Ireland boycott of Ryanair starts here.

*Waits for the 2009 Ryanair League of Ireland* :D

[Dodge]

You've probably been so busy working all these years that you hadn't noticed the six championships, four FAI Cups and three doubles we've won since the 1980s.


Since the 80s, Rovers have only won one league and No FAI Cups (1 if we're counting the Super cup...)

[osarusan]

Since the 80s, Rovers have only won one league and No FAI Cups (1 if we're counting the Super cup...)
Go on ya grammar king!

[Réiteoir]

And we're offering great deals on seats. Season tickets for our home games for the entire 2009 campaign start at just €200.

Can I have one of those yellow ones, or if not a red one please...

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/39/11hc5.jpg

[Soccer Mom]

The one thing that amazes me is that most people seem to miss two very important points about Ryanair

1) When Aer Lingus had no real competition they charged astronomical prices (back in 1982 I paid- no I mean my employer paid - £200 for a return flight to London...er you mean Mars...NO! I mean London!) to fly anywhere. Just think about that for a moment. That's over a quarter of a century ago. Allowing for inflation and all that....The other day I booked a flight with the Mick to Gatwick in January for and all-in price of €20 return. If the 'one-trick-pony' was looking to maximise profits in the way that his (mostly Aer Lingus employee) detracters depict then there is no way that we would have witnessed the unprecedented consumer price deflation that he has brought about. We might be flying return to London for €3,000 (using the pint-inflation-index - from 1982) instead of current prices.
POINT 1: Ryanair is consumer-friendly if price is the key indicator)

2) A merged RA/AL will be bad for Irish aviation competition. WRONG. And this is a point that Bertie missed all the time. I have booked lots of very cheap flights from Dublin to destinations that Aer Lingus doesn't serve. What! - on routes where Ryanair has a monopoly? Surely not! Jenny YES!!! (well you called me a girl's name first). People seem to miss this point all of the time - O'Leary's target market is not Ireland - we're too small - it's ... well basically...it's the world (He'll probably get to the astronomical oyster eventually). He has used Ryanair to bring huge (and I use that word advisedly) tourist traffic to Ireland - patrioism in extremis. Next time you're on the Ryanair site mouse-over Stansted - his main European hub - then try and find the airport that comes closest in terms of destinations served. Guess what- it's Dublin. Is that because there are so many people from Dublin demanding so many flights to so many destinations? Clearly not with the population size of Ireland. Ryanair is bringing millions of people to Ireland that would never come unless Ryanair served their airports. The by-product is that it gives us the opportunity to travel - cheaply (I did Dinard for €0.01) to places we never dreamt of.
POINT 2) BIG picture time folks - Ryanair - is good for Ireland. Almost everything that Michael O'Leary has predicted has come to pass - if you want to blame him for anything blame him for the congestion in our airports (although he did warn them about what he would do to passenger numbers). Why not believe him now? At least he is giving a guarantee about the Heathrow slots. What are Aer Lingus offering in this regard?


At least the B****** has democratised travel which is more than you can say about soccer in Ireland. I'm off to clean my baby's boots.

[SkStu]

Since the 80s, Rovers have only won one league and No FAI Cups (1 if we're counting the Super cup...)


was thinkin that myself Dodge - doesnt "since the 80's" mean from 1990 onwards??

[dcfcsteve]

was thinkin that myself Dodge - doesnt "since the 80's" mean from 1990 onwards??

Yes...

[dcfcsteve]

Excellent prompt response by the Rovers' board. Net outcome is +1 RyanAir but also +1 for the LOI (gotta use every opportunity to grab some positive PR and it might make those barstoolers think a little about value for money in these tough times).

I couldn't disagree more.

I really think Rovers got their response wrong here. O'Leary will be delighted with what they said, as it basically ba\cks up his analogy - and as most of the Irish public share his view of Irish football, it will have little effect on them either.

The Board should've pushed O'Leary onto the defensive - pointing out that, in these hard times, we all need to support our local industries, and that Ryanair seems happier to portray itself as being British than Irish. Now THAT would've got up O'Leary's nose - not simply stating a load of comments that’ll make him chuckle because they unwittingly support what he’s actually saying.

[osarusan]

I think the board should have said nothing at all.

[soccerc]

The one thing that amazes me is that most people seem to miss two very important points about Ryanair

1) When Aer Lingus had no real competition they charged astronomical prices (back in 1982 I paid- no I mean my employer paid - £200 for a return flight to London...er you mean Mars...NO! I mean London!) to fly anywhere. Just think about that for a moment. That's over a quarter of a century ago. Allowing for inflation and all that....The other day I booked a flight with the Mick to Gatwick in January for and all-in price of €20 return. If the 'one-trick-pony' was looking to maximise profits in the way that his (mostly Aer Lingus employee) detracters depict then there is no way that we would have witnessed the unprecedented consumer price deflation that he has brought about. We might be flying return to London for €3,000 (using the pint-inflation-index - from 1982) instead of current prices.
POINT 1: Ryanair is consumer-friendly if price is the key indicator)

2) A merged RA/AL will be bad for Irish aviation competition. WRONG. And this is a point that Bertie missed all the time. I have booked lots of very cheap flights from Dublin to destinations that Aer Lingus doesn't serve. What! - on routes where Ryanair has a monopoly? Surely not! Jenny YES!!! (well you called me a girl's name first). People seem to miss this point all of the time - O'Leary's target market is not Ireland - we're too small - it's ... well basically...it's the world (He'll probably get to the astronomical oyster eventually). He has used Ryanair to bring huge (and I use that word advisedly) tourist traffic to Ireland - patrioism in extremis. Next time you're on the Ryanair site mouse-over Stansted - his main European hub - then try and find the airport that comes closest in terms of destinations served. Guess what- it's Dublin. Is that because there are so many people from Dublin demanding so many flights to so many destinations? Clearly not with the population size of Ireland. Ryanair is bringing millions of people to Ireland that would never come unless Ryanair served their airports. The by-product is that it gives us the opportunity to travel - cheaply (I did Dinard for €0.01) to places we never dreamt of.
POINT 2) BIG picture time folks - Ryanair - is good for Ireland. Almost everything that Michael O'Leary has predicted has come to pass - if you want to blame him for anything blame him for the congestion in our airports (although he did warn them about what he would do to passenger numbers). Why not believe him now? At least he is giving a guarantee about the Heathrow slots. What are Aer Lingus offering in this regard?


At least the B****** has democratised travel which is more than you can say about soccer in Ireland. I'm off to clean my baby's boots.

You're a gas man Mick - didn't know the interwebby yoke hit Mullingar yet!


Ok, call me a taxi :D

[Magicme]

Ok, call me a taxi :D

Soccerc is a taxi, Soccerc is a taxi, Soccerc is a taxi.

[soccerc]

Soccerc is a taxi, Soccerc is a taxi, Soccerc is a taxi.

You on the looper juice again tonight, fancy a ride?


... in my taxi of course, no charge just plenty of add ons


Ok, I'll get my coat :D

[SkStu]

Yes...

cool...

[Magicme]

You on the looper juice again tonight, fancy a ride?


... in my taxi of course, no charge just plenty of add ons


Ok, I'll get my coat :D

Am totally shocked and disgusted at you..........of course am not drinking I have work in the morning!! Just cant sleep at the mo! Gonna try again though so nite!

[Claret Murph]

When i heard that on the news last night I was taken a back but then again it is O'Leary , i mean what can you say about the guy without swearing .
Tos*er is about as mild as i can put it on here .

[Finlay Harp]

Its Aer Arran you have to feel sorry for in all this. I dread to think who he would have compared them to;)

[Dodge]

At least the B****** has democratised travel which is more than you can say about soccer in Ireland.

Agreed, Ryanair has done more for democratising travel than soccer in Ireland has.

[gspain]

Actually this is good publicity for the league and for Rovers in particular.

Hopefully Rovers excellent reply will get some airtime and maybe they could present Mick with a season ticket to come see for himself.

[SeanDrog]

In todays indo the Rovers letter is printed and Rovers have free publicity about the price of their season tickets in a national paper (pg 22) headline : "Rovers bare their teeth at CEO's claim"

Nice one IMO, well done Rovers (they saw a gap, shot and scored), I would actually thank Mr O;Leary for creating the opporunity.

[bennocelt]

Its Mullingar Town I feel sorry for in all of this.

why? Surely MoL would not support football, and if he did it would be Mullingar Athletic:)

anyway MOL is great, feck the begrudgers and moaners - as someone else has posted, if it wasnt for Ryanair prices would never have came down

[Lenny82]

Jesus, will everybody relax a bit here and stop O'Leary bashing!!!

Aer Lingus came out and said that no way would they ever sell to/merge with their biggest rival. It would be like Manchester United and Liverpool joining forces.

O'Leary's comments were not intended to belittle Irish football, it was merely to put into perspective that the difference in quality was much greater than was suggested by Aer Lingus. Rovers are hardly world beaters now are they, and neither are Aer Lingus?

I think O'Leary has worked wonders for this country and has given people endless opportunities to travel to places for buttons as well as encouraging tourism in Ireland. I'm sure every pub in Temple Bar owes alot to O'Leary for filling their places on a weekly basis with British tourists. If it wasn't for Ryanair, Aer Lingus would still be ripping people off.

[corkharps]

What are the odds on Ryanair logo on Rovers shirts 09/10 season?;)

[Réiteoir]

What are the odds on Ryanair logo on Rovers shirts 09/10 season?;)

about as much chance of them actually winning anything next season

[Soccer Mom]

What are the odds on Ryanair logo on Rovers shirts 09/10 season?;)

Now there's an idea :) It won't be Aer Lingus anyway but I'd bet it would really appeal to O'Leary's warped sense of humour. I'm going to see if I can find a way to contact him so we can get a campaign going.

[tiktok]

In todays indo the Rovers letter is printed and Rovers have free publicity about the price of their season tickets in a national paper (pg 22) headline : "Rovers bare their teeth at CEO's claim"

Nice one IMO, well done Rovers (they saw a gap, shot and scored), I would actually thank Mr O;Leary for creating the opporunity.

That's about the size of it, Rovers tongue in cheek response was about getting publicity for themselves [which they've achieved] rather than picking sides in an airline battle.
Well done Rovers.

[GuisaSaigon]

Can I have one of those yellow ones, or if not a red one please...

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/39/11hc5.jpg

What's the story with that, did they take some of the seats from Tolka with them?:rolleyes:

[Soccer Mom]

Now there's an idea :) It won't be Aer Lingus anyway but I'd bet it would really appeal to O'Leary's warped sense of humour. I'm going to see if I can find a way to contact him so we can get a campaign going.

Well I failed miserably but there's some funny stuff out there about O'Leary. Anyone have a way of getting in contact with Michael O'Leary besides the obvious snail mail method?

[celticV3]

Can I have one of those yellow ones, or if not a red one please...

http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/39/11hc5.jpg
Lego?:eek:

[stann]

Anyone have a way of getting in contact with Michael O'Leary besides the obvious snail mail method?

I think you need a pentacle for a start.

[Soccer Mom]

Low fares start in the underworld eh? So what you're really saying is that 'I haven't a prayer of a chance'

[pineapple stu]

That's about the size of it, Rovers tongue in cheek response was about getting publicity for themselves [which they've achieved] rather than picking sides in an airline battle.
Well done Rovers.
Exactly.

Pretty sure O'Leary's quite happy Rovers have replied too, basically bumping it in the news.

[blackholesun]

That's about the size of it, Rovers tongue in cheek response was about getting publicity for themselves [which they've achieved] rather than picking sides in an airline battle.
Well done Rovers.

Agreed, O'Leary is an expert at drumming up free publicity rather than paying through the nose for adds. Having you ever seen a RyanAir add on RTE?

As a Rovers fan, I am delighted with the whole episode, more great publicity for Rovers this week.

Am off down to the newsagents now to read Dolans Star article on us ...

:cool:

bhs

[irishultra]

cringey stuff from the shams board.