Flights of fancy

Ryanair raised its forecast of passenger numbers and said it expected to make an annual profit for the first time since the outbreak of covid. The low-cost airline was in the news recently when its boss, Michael O’Leary, threatened to leave its base in Ireland if the Irish government raises corporate taxes, proclaiming, “We’re proud of being Irish, but I wouldn’t die in a ditch over it.” Ryanair has threatened to quit Ireland in the past. And to pull its business from Britain. And France. And Belgium. In 2018 Mr O’Leary said he would ground flights from Britain to make Britons rethink their decision to leave the EU (he never did).