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Michael Cawley speaking about Ryanair's results in January this year Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

Michael O'Leary's second-in-command at Ryanair to step down

Michael Cawley has worked at Ryanair since 1997 and is leaving to pursue other business interests.

MICHAEL O’LEARY’S SECOND-IN-COMMAND at Ryanair is stepping down to pursue other business interests, the airline has announced.

Michael Cawley, who is 59, has worked for Ryanair for sixteen years, beginning as its chief financial officer in 1997 before being appointed as deputy CEO in 2003.

In a statement, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said Cawley had given an “enormous contribution” to the company.

Cawley was responsible for the airline’s commercial strategy and its focus on selling as many seats on every plane as possible.

Cawley is going to remain at the company for almost a full year: he will step down at the end of March 2014. Ryanair said that he will be looking at a number of non executive positions on company boards, including Ryanair itself.

“I am grateful to Michael for his enormous contribution to the successful growth and development of Ryanair,” Michael O’Leary said in a statement.

Read: Howlin: Conditions are not right for selling our stake in Aer Lingus >

Read: Ryanair loses EU court battle over sale of Alitalia planes >

Read: 10 tips for avoiding those excess baggage fees >

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34 Comments
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    Mute Aodhán Ó Deá
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:17 AM

    I’d love to see the look on his face when he is hit with the unavoidable 10% “stepping down fee”

    264
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    Mute Barry O'Sullivan
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:53 AM

    And has to print off his own reference

    181
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    Mute Taxi Bill
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:17 PM

    Ryanair may not be perfect, but without “Mick” most ordinary people would never have been able to fly anywhere, remember in 1970s it used to cost an arm and leg just to get to London. now a flight in Poland is cheaper than getting the train up from Cork to Dublin. Hey !maybe we could put him in charge of CIE etc.

    97
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    Mute Taxi Bill
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    Jul 1st 2013, 8:34 PM

    Why would one get 14 red thumbs, for one of the best things to happen to this country since the foundation of the state?

    15
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    Mute Jason Davis
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:30 AM

    He will be a big loss to FR. He was/is a great buffer between MOL and other staff/management, many times taking the hit to save other form MOL’s temper…he was a calming influence on MOL in many ways…but also a tough man, not to be messed with!

    97
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    Mute Lou Brennan
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:37 AM

    De,de,de,
    De de de de …De de de de,
    de, de, de, de.
    Ryanair are pleased to announce another on-time resignation.

    59
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    Mute Dissisus Corr
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:54 AM

    Got charged 130.euro on return journey because thought I had booked return bag …. Got charged 40.euro going out thought this was full cost for a bag .. I was told it was 40 euro each way because it was high season .. something very wrong here .. never fly Ryanair again

    45
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    Mute Diarmuid Ward
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:10 PM

    How sad…

    37
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    Mute Jason Davis
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:16 PM

    Play b the rules, its as clear as day on the website, read the T&C’s that you tick and agree too…don’t understand people moaning now about this…its very clear and transparent…not nice but it is obvious…

    119
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    Mute Tertullian
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:32 PM

    Oh Gawd, not another innocent abroad who didn’t bother to read Ryanair’s rules and then comes on here whinging about how they were charged for something that was clearly spelled out on their website. I expect that we’ll have a few more people on here before the day is out complaining about the cost involved if you forget to print off your boarding card. Sorry, you ain’t going to get much sympathy here. The dogs in the street know by now that if you don’t keep to Ryanair’s rules and regulations you will pay through the nose for your stupidity. Why not take your complaints to the Daily Mail website – they seem to have a weekly rant against Ryanair as they are unable to stomach the fact that Europe’s most successful airline is run by Paddies.

    83
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    Mute simonjblake
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:42 PM

    @ Dissisus so you made the mistake if I read you wrong and you want them to pick up the tab? You probably take three attempts at an ATM. I’m sure you will fly Ryanair again unless of course you are a well paid public servant.

    33
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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:51 PM

    Wow! They didn’t charge you €40 coming back but charged you €130?!
    That’s robbery bordering on fraud.
    Ryan air are pulling the wool over people.

    13
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    Mute John Johnson (KCCO)
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:52 PM

    Hi Discuss, thank you for not reading the t&c’s and not checking your booking properly as you subsidised my cheep flight by your mistake.

    44
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    Mute Declan Noonan
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:56 PM

    Because it shouldn’t cost 130 euro to fly a bag!
    Cop on people.
    The standard cost for checked bags over here is $25-$50. More if they way over 40 pounds.
    130 euro is extortion.
    I don’t care if its printed out for people. It’s like loan sharking.

    13
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:39 PM

    Read her post. The flight cost €130 which she thought included a checked in bag. It didn’t o she was stuck with an additional €40 each way for the bag

    20
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    Mute Andrew Telford
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    Jul 1st 2013, 1:04 PM

    Had a US friend visit this weekend… Didn’t know what to expect, assumed that it worked like ‘any other airline’ agency booked the flight for business travel.. Ended up with €170 of fees at the airport.

    It’s an embarrassment to people who come to this country to attempt to do business. They see it as the ‘Irish’ way of doing business.

    25
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    Mute John Johnson (KCCO)
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    Jul 1st 2013, 1:12 PM

    Hi Andrew, say thank you to your friend from me as they also subsidised my flight by their inability to read very clear t&c’s

    51
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    Mute Andrew Telford
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    Jul 1st 2013, 1:32 PM

    Will do… I’ll thank him and my other professional friends and colleagues for basically bringing business to the country, forming the tax base so you and your buddies can cash those dole checks and jet off to costa del cheapbooze while I’m at it. Shall I?

    30
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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Jul 1st 2013, 1:34 PM

    Some professional who can’t read the straightforward terms of a contract. I will not be requiring his services ,thank you.

    48
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    Mute John Johnson (KCCO)
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    Jul 1st 2013, 1:47 PM

    Hi Andrew,

    I work for a world wide company and a bit of travel as and when needed to the UK, I have to book my own flights (I can claim them back), and only once I have been stung for extra charges and guess what! It was my fault and I paid the price and I blame no-one but myself and it was a lesson learnt.

    These so all professionals must be bottom of the barrel workers if they cannot read t&c’s and abide by them

    These are the sort of people who will not succeed in business and this country would be better off without them. Actually scrach that, get them to come more often as we can get more out of them!!

    20
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    Mute Andrew Telford
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:28 PM

    Oh Christ… Middle management syndrome. One could write a book if one had the time.

    Some of us live in a world where we believe the simple everyday things… catching a flight, ordering a cup of coffee, printing a form, paying the phone bill should be simple straight forward no unnecessary hassle things.

    I like the marketing potential though… Fly Ryanair, if you manage to successfully dodge the fees and charges we’ll give you a link where you can pay €5 to print a ‘I’m so smart’ cert. The easiest way to pander to morons and empty their pockets is to make them think they have one up on their betters… That might be worth a book deal come to think of it.

    12
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    Mute Ben Gunn
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:41 PM

    Your friend must ave been sleep walking. You pay extra for everything on a US low cost airline, just as you do in Europe.

    21
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    Mute John Johnson (KCCO)
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    Jul 1st 2013, 4:32 PM

    Heres a solution for you andrew, dont use them its as easy as that. Here is a link for your friend to use the next time they are here so they dont have to use big bad Ryanair. .. http://www.aerlingus.com

    Let me know how the book comes along, ill be sure to have a read of it, pity your friend wont read it as im sure if he finds reading t&c’s troublesome a book may be a bit to difficult.

    8
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    Mute Martin Forde
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:52 AM

    He’s paying buckets of tax yeah?

    1
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    Mute Martin Forde
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    Jul 2nd 2013, 12:52 AM

    One could do lots of things

    1
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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:14 AM

    And this is news, why?

    23
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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:21 AM

    It’s in the business section of the site because – well, it’s business news. If you’re looking for something non-business-y, there’s lots of other news stories up on the site today.

    321
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    Mute Andrew Ó Cionnaith
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:21 AM

    Because Ryanair is one of the biggest Irish companies ever to exist?

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Jul 1st 2013, 11:35 AM

    Because we need great business heads like his and not fcukwits runing things?

    139
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    Mute Little Jim
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:25 PM

    Excellent answers, you three.
    Carry on.

    47
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    Mute simonjblake
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:38 PM

    @ Stephen. Ryanair is a highly respected and profitable Irish company. The standing down Michael is a significant part of that story. Would prefer a “9 things you never knew about bail clippers” story ?

    32
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    Mute simonjblake
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    Jul 1st 2013, 12:39 PM

    @ Christine. You tell him.

    19
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    Mute Stephen Downey
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    Jul 4th 2013, 7:15 PM

    I know, but when I left Ryanair, I never got a mention.

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    Mute Billy Mann
    Favourite Billy Mann
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    Jul 1st 2013, 2:26 PM

    Fight!….Fight!…Fight!…….

    And we all gather around the digital playground watching the other children fightin’ and pulling each other’s hair, (And yes I sigh wearily…I am bald!) calling each other dumbass and so on….

    Irony is that you’re both right, the airline is a flying pirateship with every intention of plundering your wallet but they do let you know right from the off that’s what they’re up to.

    The issue here isn’t Ryanair, it’s us and how we view them. It bugs the $#!+ out of me to get caught by them but when I use them I usually get good value and not feel like I’ve been robbed like I do EVERY TIME I use the train!!!!

    20
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