Ryanair CEO Secures Record-Breaking €100M Bonus

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has become eligible for a bonus exceeding €100 million after the airline’s share price closed above €21 for 28 consecutive days, meeting a key condition of a 2019 share option scheme. O’Leary can now buy 10 million shares at €11.12 each, representing a paper profit of around €126 million at the current share price, although the options will not vest until July 2028 if he remains with the company. The payout is considered among the largest in European corporate history. This milestone comes despite Ryanair’s annual profit dropping by 16%. O’Leary defended the bonus by comparing it to the higher salaries of premiership footballers and emphasized the value created for shareholders. The company declined to comment further until the options vest.