Fair play to him...!

I'm hardly Michael O'Leary’s biggest fan, on account of his company's vehement union-busting stance alone, but I have to applaud his latest move.

Not only the rightness of threatening the British government with a multi-million dollar compensation claim if it didn’t drop its ridiculous, nearly fortnight-long airport security requirements--confiscation of mascara, bottled water, deodorant and other everyday items, and banning of books, iPods and all carry-on luggage--but the brilliance of tying the move visually to RyanAir’s newest ad campaign.

Ryanair today threatened to sue the government for compensation unless airport security measures are returned to normal within seven days.

Michael O'Leary, the outspoken chief executive of Ryanair, described the new restrictions as "farcical Keystone Cops security measures that don't add anything except to block up airports", as he issued the ultimatum.

At a news conference in London, Mr O'Leary, described as "nonsense" the increased body checks and the new carry-on restrictions. Flanked by a Winston Churchill figure - in reference to the company's advertising campaign - he went on to say that the disruption at airports handed extremists a public relations victory.

[snip]

Mr O'Leary ridiculed the notion of searching five- or six-year-old children and elderly people in wheelchairs going to Spain. Such scenes, he said, would have "terrorists laughing in the caves of Afghanistan".

Or the cafés of North-East London, as the case may be.

Complete story here.