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The Boeing 737-800 caught up in the drama of May 23 is spotted in Manchester during happier times
Michael O’Leary, the charismatic Ryanair chief executive, is no stranger to adding a sprinkling of hyperbole when talking to the press. Typically, these outspoken comments keep journalists happy because they have their audience scrambling to learn more (resulting in clicks, viewers and sales), while the low-cost boss ensures his brand maintains a strong public awareness in an ultra-competitive market. It’s a textbook win-win approach to media relations.
The O’Leary who took to the airwaves in late May 2021 was his usual straight-talking self, however the topic of conversation was of a very different tenor. “This was a case of state-sponsored hijacking... state-sponsored piracy,” he told Ireland’s Newstalk Radio. The Ryanair CEO was describing the events on May 23 which led to Flight FR4978 –a completely routine service from Athens to Vilnius – making an unscheduled landing in Minsk in Belarus. As Airliner World went to press, the precise details surrounding the incident were continuing to emerge, however the basic facts are as clear as they are chilling.