WE SHALL OFFEND THEM ON THE BEACHES



The secret to good PR is the ability to turn any situation, however negative, to your advantage.

Or, in the case of budget airline Ryanair, it's the ability to turn a national tragedy into an offensive and insensitive moneymaking opportunity.

Ryanair has taken out full-page adverts in today's Daily Telegraph and Independent urging travellers to fight back against the terrorists by....er....squeezing themselves like sardines into an aeroplane, paying over-the-odds for stale sandwiches and flying to an airport several hundred kilometres from their intended destination.

With breathtaking chutzpah, Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary says:
"The best way for all of us to make our stand against these acts (of terrorism) is to continue to travel. Travel is essential for our economy and tourism industry and Ryanair is today lowering 3 million fares in its biggest ever seat sale to ensure we can all do our part to fight back."

I recently read Siobhan Creaton's enlightening book about Ryanair -- and I have great admiration for O'Leary's audacious salesmanship.

But his latest ad campaign goes way too far. The Advertising Standards Authority should come down on Ryanair -- hard.

You can complain about the advert by filling out the ASA's online form.