Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of easyJet, has accepted undisclosed libel damages over advertisements by Ryanair, which accused him of lying. The case centred around adverts published in certain newspapers and on the Ryanair website where Sir Stelios was pictured with a Pinocchio- style elongated nose and the caption ‘Mr Late Again’. The text told Sir Stelios to "stop hiding the truth" about easyJet's flight delays and resume publishing the details. When Sir Stelios wrote to Ryanair to request the cease using the adverts the Court was told Ryanair responded with a suggestion that the matter be resolved with a sumo wrestling contest or a race around Trafalgar Square, and issued further adverts calling him a “chicken”.

Michael O'Leary commented: “Since he was not responsible for easyJet's decision to stop publishing these on-time statistics, I think it is only fair and reasonable that we say 'sorry' and pay him damages and his legal costs, rather than waste court time on this issue."