PHOTOS - Slideshow of the 2012 Ryanair Calendar
Michael O’Leary and Ryanair have been slammed for sexist adverts which objectified women.
The budget airline boss has been hauled over the coals for a promotion which featured a scantily clad stewardess in lingerie.
O’Leary, no stranger to controversy, has run foul of the British advertising standards authority, ASA, over the campaign which has now been banned.
Already under fire for his annual charity calendar featuring cabin crew in lingerie, O’Leary has been ordered to stop the saucy campaign after thousands of complaints.
The British authority found the ads to be ‘sexist’ after analysing the complaints, including one from a Ryanair flight attendant who claimed it portrayed cabin crew as glamour models.
The adverts ran with the strap line ‘Red Hot Fares & Crew’ and were deemed offensive after thousands of people backed calls for the promotion to be axed.
The British body also said 17 complainants lodged personal grievances and concluded that the campaign was likely to cause ‘widespread offence’.
In a statement, the authority said that one image, entitled ‘Ornella February’, which showed a model pulling down the top of her pants with a thumb, was particularly ‘sexually suggestive’.
In its defence, Ryanair said that all the images came from its 2012 charity calendar, which raised over a hundred thousand dollars.
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The airline also claimed that the pictures were not sexist because members of staff had volunteered to produce the images.
The advertising watchdog disagreed however. A statement from ASA read: “We also considered that most readers would interpret these images, in conjunction with the text ‘Red hot fares & crew!!!’ and the names of the women, as linking female cabin crew with sexually suggestive behaviour.
“Although we acknowledged that the women in the ads had consented to appear in the calendar, we considered that the ads were likely to cause widespread offence, when displayed in a national newspaper.”
Public opinion against the promotion was mobilized by an online campaign led by a flight attendant called Ghada.
At the time she said: “I’m a member of cabin crew. I love my job and take it seriously, so I was disgusted to see this Ryanair ad which basically portrays cabin crew as glamour models.
“My work colleagues, many of whom are male, work hard with me to ensure the safety of our passengers.
“Safety is our number-one priority, not the brand of our underwear.”
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.proudirishlass | Feb 17, 2012, 03:53 PM EST
Readabook, Thanks Michael for that desperately needed hearty laugh. I knew that you had it in you. Shame on all the complainers, even though YOU are laughing all the way to the bank.Then again maybe you have your slaves carry you to make the DEPOSIT.
readabook | Feb 17, 2012, 12:27 PM EST
Collette2 "Any convent educated ones amongst them I wonder?" Why Yes "Collette2" Convents are our best source of New Slaves! Our secret?!?! After years of mistreatment and abuse in the Convent, a little "Hoochey Coochey" down the aisle of a plane is "Child's Play"
readabook | Feb 17, 2012, 12:12 PM EST
proudirishlass- Your eagerness to support O'Leary's business practices gives me a sneaking suspicion that you are Michael himself!!!!! You are truly a "Door Prize" proudirishlass. I should have remembered from our past that I could never fool you! Besides telling my Stewardesses how you left me in a crying heap when you stalked away following our one night "dalliance" I also told them not to bother being nice to you because you're not much of a "tipper". Remember,these Stewardesses are "my slaves so they do whatever I Say! Please call me "Mikey" like you did when we were together !
IrelandNorth | Feb 17, 2012, 08:13 AM EST
The only bad publicity is no publicity. 'O'Leary Air' gets plenty of bad publicity, which is really good publicity, because it gets them free advertisement by being controversial. Even if he's fined by the Neo-Voctorian Anally Retentive Brigade, the increased business will be worth it. I suspect his Ad-men have done the maths.
Collette2 | Feb 16, 2012, 02:03 PM EST
Stupid men, you can only look and not touch, making the fantasy even more intense, then for some, that's all it needs to get their rocks off unless you have fat wallet. Girls, don't complain if your treated like sluts. Any convent educated ones amongst them I wonder?
proudirishlass | Feb 16, 2012, 12:57 PM EST
Readabook,I am impressed with your keen sense of understanding of my "green with envy" compassion. Your eagerness to support O'Leary's business practices gives me a sneaking suspicion that you are Michael himself!!!!!
ciaradexy | Feb 16, 2012, 12:51 PM EST
Bogside, seeing as you have brought the wasste charges into this, I'll clear up some of the errors you have made. The issue with the charges was that no one was told that DCC had outsourced the collections to Greyhound and so people, like myself, were told 'you have 30 days to hand over the €100 standing charge'. NO WARNING! This is the problem! We have paid charges for years, we just didnt expect to be given a time limit.
proudirishlass | Feb 16, 2012, 12:42 PM EST
Sirpeter,I have traveled extensively and I have never made those observations about any other airline. Regardless of it being a "CRAP" job the staff have always been polite and interactive. I have worked difficult jobs but always put a smile on my face when dealing with the public. It costs nothing and reaps great benefits. No Sirpeter, I did not give them a tip nor did the idea cross my mind. Perhaps if they were a little more social i might have had that idea. Tipping is not a custom in Ireland.
Alexiswolf | Feb 16, 2012, 05:08 AM EST
Ryanair, the gutter press of airlines.
sirpeter | Feb 15, 2012, 10:29 PM EST
@proudirishlass.That why they call work~work.Otherwise they would call work ~happy time.How much joy do you think walking up and down an airplane aisle is going to bring pushing a trolly day in day out??It's a crap job.At least understand their boredom.You want pleasantries.Did you ever give them a tip?
galway2001 | Feb 15, 2012, 08:33 PM EST
he a laughing stock of ireland and whats wrong with those women they must be desperate for something
readabook | Feb 15, 2012, 06:39 PM EST
To proudirishlass Your ability to instantly spot possible Psychological abuse of Foreign Nationals(source?),followed up by shrewd Analysis of Payroll Records compared to Industry Norms with possible linkage to an International Slavery Ring is duly noted. Do you think that "Fella" in the One Piece is not O'leary but a Eunuch to guard the stewardesses when the "Ring" is out procuring more slaves er' stewardesses? OR does your stated Compassion just mask a little green envy? "MEOW!"
proudirishlass | Feb 15, 2012, 06:11 PM EST
I have traveled on Ryanair and from the moment we took off the cabin crew were busy selling lottery tickets and the calendar among other items.They all appeared to work like robots with no personalities. It was all business and no pleasantries. In fact i notices that their eyes appeared unhappy,there was definitely no joy in their work. I also noticed that they did not chat with each other which I thought very strange. Most of his staff are underpaid eastern Europeans. It was reported recently that the staff are required to work long hours and are not treated well.The authorities might want to check in to OLeaary's business practices just in case there are employment rules broken. Slave labor comes to mind.
cillowen | Feb 15, 2012, 05:56 PM EST
years ago they allowed bare assed ladies on their music hall stages as long as they didn't move. Wonder if O'Leary's ladies are shaking their booties thus displeasing these buggars.
cillowen | Feb 15, 2012, 05:55 PM EST
years ago they allowed bare assed ladies on their music hall stages as long as they didn't move. Wonder if O'Leary's ladies are shaking their booties this displeasing these buggars.
rainbowbrew | Feb 15, 2012, 05:20 PM EST
it is the UK religion police that seek to protect the the meck and mind
Murph46 | Feb 15, 2012, 02:47 PM EST
Hey UK chastity police,stop hasslin Ryanair and go back to what you do best buggering each other!
readabook | Feb 15, 2012, 02:13 PM EST
Glad to see "The Nudity and Chastity Patrol" is still alive and well in the 21st century. I agree Porickseantuny. Obviously Ryanair has a "fantastic" Bottom line ('cept for that fella in the one piece)as well as other Assets. They should continue to Walk Tall and puff their Chests out proudly.
merefalow | Feb 15, 2012, 01:57 PM EST
prudes are us.abysmal,pretty girls,good advertising,to good so stamp on it.never mind he still got a load of free publicity.who is gadda or gaga or whatever her name is, weren't she picked cos she is a dog.so she comes over all ultra feminist.
Porickseantuny | Feb 15, 2012, 01:04 PM EST
Unfortunately, business runs on the bottom line. If sales declined he'd stop.
Murph46 | Feb 15, 2012, 11:30 AM EST
UK has shown bare boobs daily in its newspapers and they condemn this!
shannontravers | Feb 15, 2012, 10:54 AM EST
What a shame. Sounds like you are being governed by the same prudes here in te US. If those are Irish women they are beautiful ones and that my friends sells. The civilized world appreciates beautiful women, nothing more than that!
antoman | Feb 15, 2012, 10:41 AM EST
Richard Branson abseils down the side of buildings or mountains. Our lad gets his trousers off.
Silling | Feb 15, 2012, 10:33 AM EST
The British Authorities are afraid of Ryan Air and will do anything to give O'Leary a bad name. Ghada was a British Airways plant, everyone knows that.
irishfrank | Feb 15, 2012, 10:33 AM EST
YES LEAHY15 IS RIGHT GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Silling | Feb 15, 2012, 10:24 AM EST
If Michael O'Leary is permitted to operate without toilets on short haul, then surely, this has to be applauded as mile high frolicking will not be a possibility. Ryan Air brings morals back to the aviation industry.
leahy15 | Feb 15, 2012, 10:14 AM EST
THE UK HAS MORE SEX SCANDALS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD !!! GET A LIFE !!!!!!!!!!
1866Umidget | Feb 15, 2012, 10:12 AM EST
how dare they use over-sized basketball players to sell sports shoes, use sexy race car drivers to sell website domains or little people dwarf talent as leprechauns to sell green beer for st patricks day! that just objectifies people with bigger sales as the object of that abuse! stop the madness!
pwherman | Feb 15, 2012, 09:44 AM EST
tacky and disrespectful to women and passengers...speaks volumes of what kind of person/company this is.....
sirpeter | Feb 15, 2012, 09:23 AM EST
It's very wrong.Still I like it very much.