Ryanair to buy Aer Lingus?

Online Travel Review points to a Reuters story reporting that Irish discount airline Ryanair has made a $1.9 billion offer for Irish “flag carrier” Aer Lingus.

By coincidence, I just finished reading Ryanair: How a Small Irish Airline Conquered Europe, a compelling account of how Irish entrepreneur Tony Ryan founded the airline, and how brash CEO Michael O’Leary turned it into the European colossus that it is.

Ironically, Tony Ryan began his aviation career working at Aer Lingus. One of his responsibilities was to oversee the leasing out of the airline’s planes during slack periods. This business evolved into a standalone spin-off business called Guinness Peat Aviation, which is where Ryan earned his first fortune.

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