Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary has been accused of “trivialising” rape after comparing other airlines to rapists.

Mr O’Leary made the remarks ahead of his airline’s annual general meeting in Dublin on Thursday.

He said it is “absolutely” appropriate to compare other airlines to “rapists”.

The billionaire businessman claimed rising air travel prices at other airlines would see passengers switch to Ryanair.

He told reporters at the company’s headquarters: “You might find some people will choose not to fly with Ryanair – but you know they’ll be overrun with the people abandoning Aer Lingus, Lufthansa, BA, and others desperate to get to Ryanair’s low fares because they can’t afford to fly with the high-fare rapists around Europe.”

He later repeated the “high-fare rapists” comments.

Asked whether this was appropriate language, Mr O’Leary told reporters: “Absolutely.”

Further pressed on whether the language was trivialising rape, he said: “That’s what I call high-fare airlines like Lufthansa, BA and others.”

Th chief executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Rachel Morrogh, told the Press Association she was “dismayed” at Mr O’Leary’s remarks.

She said: “These are lazy and uninformed comments.

“It feels like Mr O’Leary is chasing soundbites with no regard for how they may affect people. Undoubtedly, the words of high-profile individuals can contribute to trivialising and tolerating sexual violence in our society.”

She added: “And for many survivors of rape, his words will be deeply hurtful and angering to hear.

“I will write to Mr O’Leary to offer him training on how the trivialisation of rape is so harmful.

“He has verbalised a historical trope and as a leading figure in industry, he should lead from the front in terms of what he says and does.”

Ruth Coppinger, a Socialist Party TD, told the Press Association: “I think it’s disgusting that Michael O’Leary would trivialise rape and sexual assault by bandying around the word ‘rapists’ in order to get a provocative soundbite and get covered in the media in relation to other airlines.

“And to say that it wasn’t offensive, it’s offensive to victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault.

“And what he was doing was purely using a word that he knew would get airtime – and no recognition of the fact that women, men, LGBT+ people who’ve been the victims of sexual assault which is at an epidemic level in our society and internationally would feel really insulted by that.”

Ms Coppinger said Mr O’Leary should “apologise” and “withdraw” the remarks.

“This is a really serious problem that’s faced by so many women, so many LGBT+ people – and it is at epidemic levels in our society and internationally.”

Victims’ advocate Caroline Forde accused Mr O’Leary of being “callous” and using “sensational language about a very pervasive and serious issue”.

She told Newstalk radio: “He’s doing that while triggering and re-traumatising victims and survivors.”

She added: “It’s extremely offensive.”