Ryanair chief pays tribute to Niki Lauda

Wednesday, 21 May, 2019 0

Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has paid tribute to Niki Lauda who has died aged 70.

Lauda was an airline entrepreneur who launched Lauda Air in 1979 and sold it 30 years later to Austrian Airlines.

The Austrian sometimes surprised passengers by flying the planes himself.

In 2003 he founded his second airline, Niki, which merged with Air Berlin but was eventually bought back by Lauda, rebranded as Laudamotion, and sold to Ryanair in April 2018.

Lauda had a lung transplant last August and was hospitalised in January for about 10 days while suffering from influenza. He died on Monday.

Paying tribute, O’Leary said: "Niki Lauda will remain in our heart and our memory as a visionary leader, a legend of Formula 1 and an aviation pioneer.

"Niki was an exceptional entrepreneur whose courage and fighting spirit inspired millions. While we are devastated at his untimely passing, his spirit and vision will live on in Laudamotion, which proudly carries his name and his entrepreneurial spirit. It’s a sad day for Formula 1 and Laudamotion.

"Niki’s spirit and his legacy will live on forever. Niki and his family are all in our thoughts and prayers today. May he rest in peace."

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Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

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