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Michael Stanley, LONDON...
...Europe. Call it the "Low-Fare Airline Wars." The dueling companies, Ryanair and easyJet, have always had an intense rivalry, but in recent weeks, the backbiting between the bargain-basement airlines has gotten ugly - and personal. The fighting began when Ryanair launched an ad earlier this year accusing London-based easyJet of trying to hide its on-time flight statistics and depicting the airline's founder, Stelios Haji-Ioannou, with an elongated Pinocchio nose. The Greek-born tycoon was not amused. In a statement last month, he lashed out at Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary and said he would...
...being Mr. easyJet, but he can't take the criticism, even when in this case it's valid," he said in his message. Then things got truly bizarre. O'Leary reiterated an earlier challenge he'd made to Haji-Ioannou to settle their differences with a race around London's Trafalgar Square or a "Sumo Smackdown." "I believe that 'gutless' Stelios should take up my challenge," O'Leary said. "If he is really worried about it, I will give him a head start or a big weight advantage." (Read a TIME story on O'Leary...
...Analysts say the tit for tat illustrates the different styles of the companies. "[O'Leary] is a strong believer in getting any sort of publicity for Ryanair," says John Strickland, a London-based aviation consultant. "EasyJet's position has changed. When it was born it was relatively cheeky as well. ... Now it's taking more of a sober approach. Stelios is not going to take O'Leary up on his sumo wrestling offer." Still, Strickland says, both companies are well aware that a healthy rivalry can be good for business: "It certainly raises the profiles of both companies." (Read...
...combined 13 million customers in 2000 to more than 100 million today. But passenger complaints have spiked in recent years, too. Since 2005, Ryanair's complaints have increased by 70% and easyJet's are up by a third, according to a report released earlier this month by the London-based Air Transport Users' Council (AUC). Ryanair, in particular, has been derided for its penny-pinching ways - O'Leary even suggested last year that he may start charging passengers to use the toilets on planes. (See 50 essential travel tips...