Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary criticises Martin Rolfe, who leads National Air Traffic Services (NATS), following controversy over an air traffic control system meltdown. O’Leary says the government is “trying to protect” Rolfe and describes the situation as “beyond comprehension,” arguing Rolfe should be removed from his role.
O’Leary also rejects Rolfe’s use of safety concerns, saying he is “hiding behind safety.” The criticism centres on accountability after the disruption involving air traffic control systems and on whether the current leadership is being held responsible by authorities.
The outlet coverage presented here focuses primarily on O’Leary’s view and his call for action, rather than providing additional responses from the government or NATS leadership within the supplied text. As a result, the differing angles across outlets—such as whether safety reasoning is justified or whether governmental oversight is being applied—cannot be fully assessed from these sources alone.
