O'Leary agrees with government, EC and unions?

"I think if you are at a Ryanair press conference for logic, you are at the wrong place," joked Michael O'Leary, when one question at a London media briefing today began with the words "surely it would be logical to..."

O'Leary was in town briefing journalists today, ostensibly to put in a pre-emptive strike against a BBC Panorama programme which airs shortly. Something that does appear to defy logic is the sight of O'Leary in agreement with the Irish Government and European Commission.

But sure enough O'Leary has been banging the drum for a yes vote in Ireland on the key EU Lisbon Treaty referendum, and this has left him with some unlikely allies.

"I am on the same side [on this] as the Irish Government, the EC, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and three majors unions with whom I haven't agreed on anything in the last 25 years," he said. "I almost don't know which way to turn when I look at who I am on the benches with."

But as he also used the words 'hopelessly' and 'incompetent' in close proximity to "Irish Government", I think it's safe to say normal service will resume before too long.