Ryanair chief attacks Macron's 'lies' over domestic flight ban

Michael O'Leary has poured scorn over Emmanuel Macron’s ban on domestic flying in France, as the Ryanair boss claims that there is no public support for a backlash against air travel.

France is outlawing flights where the same journey could be made by train in under two-a-half hours. However, Mr O’Leary said the policy would have little effect except to strengthen the position of the country’s flag carrier.

“Be very careful with the French. You can always tell when the French are lying because their lips are moving,” he said.

“France is banning all domestic flights that are under 500 km - unless it is travelling on to a connecting flight through Paris Charles de Gaulle. So basically Air France will keep on flying, but everyone else will be banned.”

With world leaders set to convene at the UN’s Cop26 summit Glasgow on Sunday - many flying directly from a gathering of the G20 nations in Rome - Mr O’Leary shrugged off a movement campaigning against air travel because of carbon emissions. “Flight-shaming has no traction whatsoever,” he said.

Last week, a document from the Business Department’s influential “Nudge Unit” called for passengers to be “defaulted” into offsetting carbon emissions, rather than it being voluntary.

Business flights, officials warned, should be seen as an “immoral indulgence”. Mr O’Leary said: “Passengers would simply opt out.”

The Ryanair boss added he believed it was “certain” that easyJet would be bought by either British Airways or Air France, after Wizz Air failed in its recent takeover bid.

Mr O’Leary said that a merger between two of his biggest rivals had “a compelling logicality to it”.

“Structurally it makes some sense. They both operate Airbus aircraft. EasyJet can’t move into Eastern Europe and Wizz can’t move into Western Europe.”

An easyJet spokesman said the airline had “ambitious plans to grow”.