Brian Lawless/PA
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has told reporters that he would happily assist with the government’s controversial plan to deport refugees to Rwanda.
The Rwanda Bill is awaiting royal assent to formally become law, paving the way for deportation flights to get off the ground.
Parliament passed the legislation earlier this week, just hours before news emerged of another tragedy in the Channel when five migrants died trying to make the journey to the UK.
But the government has struggled to find an airline willing to risk the reputational damage that is likely to come with being involved in the scheme, with Rwanda’s state-owned airline even refusing to be part of it.
Speaking in London, Ryanair Holdings Plc Chief Executive Officer Michael O’Leary weighed in on the issue, saying he would “happily” do the flights if he had the available aircraft.
“If it was the winter schedule and we had spare aircraft sitting around and if the government were looking for additional deportation flights or any other flights, we would happily quote for the business,” O’Leary said.
He also shrugged off warnings from the United Nation, which has said that airlines facilitating the removals could be complicit in violating international law.
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