February 24, 2010 - Passengers vote for O’Leary and Stelios to settle their differences over Easyjet’s high fares and suppressed punctuality stats. Ryanair, on Tuesday confirmed that over 10,000 passengers, so far, have voted for Ryanair and Easyjet to settle their differences with a Sumo bout in Trafalgar Sq, closely followed by a drag-race which could see the airline chiefs donning high-heels and fishnets.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou who prefers to be known as Stelios is a serial entrepreneur best known for creating EasyJet in 1995 at the age of 28. In 2000, he floated EasyJet on the London Stock Exchange and the company now has grown into one of Europe's leading airlines with 170 aircraft flying over 400 routes between 103 airports in 26 countries. Approximately 45 million people a year fly with EasyJet, enjoying more value for less. Stelios remains the biggest single shareholder of EasyJet PLC and a non-executive director. 

Ryanair is an Irish low cost airline with its headquarters at Dublin Airport, Ireland, and with primary operational bases at Dublin Airport and London Stansted Airport. Ryanair operates over 200 Boeing 737-800 aircraft on over 1000 routes across Europe and Morocco from its 40 bases. The airline has been characterised by rapid expansion, a result of the deregulation of the air industry in Europe in 1997 and the success of its low cost business model. Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe in terms of passenger numbers and the largest in the world in terms of international passenger numbers. 

In London to promote its Stelios Sumo bout, Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary, said: “Ryanair’s passengers can log on to their website to vote on which challenge they would like me to beat Stelios at in order to settle this dispute over Easyjet’s high fares and missing punctuality figures. Let the winner take the bragging rights, with the loser agreeing to shut up.  The top six suggestions are available on ryanair.com now for passengers to vote on. Our online poll will close on Friday 26th February next and the winning suggestion will be revealed shortly after". 

“Stelios might be bigger than me, but even in a Sumo bout he’ll never catch me, because Easyjet can’t beat Ryanair’s punctuality, can’t beat our much lower fares and can’t beat boss either.

Ryanair revealed the current favorites with passengers as the poll reaches it’s midway point and urged passengers to continue to vote for their favorite on its website before Friday next (February 26th). 

The suggestions which Ryanair passengers can vote on are: 

   1. 25% - Sumo wrestling bout (Stelios to provide the nappies)

   2. 24% - Drag race (dressed in high-heels and fishnets),

   3. 20% - “Chariots of Fire” race around Trafalgar Sq,

   4. 15% - Mud wrestling contest,

   5. 9% - Arm-wrestling match,

   6. 7% - Wheelbarrow race around Trafalgar Sq.  

 “It’s time for Easyjet to stop hiding the truth and start publishing the facts of their lousy punctuality again on their website.”

See other recent stories by Ryanair:

Ireland’s Ryanair Prime Ministers Lied To Public Over Hanger 6

Ryanair Confronts Both Ministers Of Enterprise And Transportation

Ryanair Accuses Transportation Minister Of Misleading The Dáil