Usually, when someone who worked in social media for an airline quits, it doesn’t make headlines. However, with Ryanair it is possible. That’s because, unlike other airlines, Ryanair takes an unfiltered approach to social media. There was also some drama surrounding this resignation…
Michael Corcoran has been Ryanair’s head of social media since mid-2021. As it turns out, October 31, 2023 was Mr. Corcoran’s last day working for the airline in official capacity, although he had effectively retired months earlier. Many wondered why Corcoran cut ties with the company, and he posted on Twitter/X:
Today is officially my last day as Ryanair’s Head of Social Media.
I toast with my family on a sunny island and look back with glee and disappointment at what else I could have built, but I don’t regret my decision at all.
I retired on August 3rd and have been on gardening leave for the past three months. You can do your usual LinkedIn BS after work wandering around, but please don’t do that. That’s not me.
So strap yourself in.
Why did I quit…the question I was asked, and will be asked again for a while. I won’t lie if asked, but I will be careful (Senior Legal Team)
So…what I’ll do is share some learnings with a little context below.
Thank you for flying Ryanair.
Today is
officially
I toast with my family on a sunny island and look back with glee and disappointment at what else I could have built, but I don’t regret my decision at all.
I retired on August 3rd and spent the following period. pic.twitter.com/0EZpemwnrI
— Michael Corcoran (@lemachine) October 31, 2023
Mr. Corcoran hasn’t said exactly what happened that led to his resignation, but his explanation is pretty good. I encourage you to read the full text, but I will only highlight his five points that he emphasizes (see link for detailed explanation).
- No matter how good you do, they’re the assholes who always let you down
- Human resources are there to protect the home.
- your manager is not your friend
- everyone has their own schedule
- Even if you seem like a kind person, you can turn out to be an abusive bully.
of irish independent reported that five people from Ryanair’s social media team are believed to have recently left following an incident with a senior executive. But the airline claims this is “absolute nonsense” and that three people have recently resigned, “which is not surprising given Ryanair’s strong demand for digital and IT specialists”. .
Why Ryanair’s social media is great
Most airlines are forgotten on social media. Some airlines just post updates about what’s going on with their airline. Sometimes there may be people supporting customers. Ryanair has a completely different strategy. The company believes that people come to social media for entertainment and to escape from the world, and the airline does that very well. Ryanair’s goal is above all to increase brand awareness.
Ryanair’s social media is essentially not a service to customers. Have a complaint about an airline? Well, Ryanair will call you. Because what did you really expect when you booked your ticket on Ryanair?
conclusion
Ryanair’s head of social media has resigned, and he has been quite vocal about the reasons for his resignation. Although he doesn’t go into detail, he describes a toxic working environment and all sorts of problems with the airline’s management.
i imagine Corcoran would have no problem finding work elsewhere where he would be more valued. He’s obviously a very bright guy, and I imagine he would innovate even if he worked for a company that didn’t actively tell frustrated customers to pound sand. . 
What do you think about this Ryanair social media drama?
