The logistics behind O’Leary’s rather mind-boggling claim are slightly dry, so bear with us. According to the IB Times, it’s all to do with the increasingly good deals that Ryanair has been offered by European airports in recent years – combined with a potential reduction of air passenger duty (APD).

Short haul passengers are currently charged £13 in APD for every departing flight from the UK, a fee which rises to £146 for long haul passengers. But the British government has been called upon to cut APD by 50% in its Autumn Statement – a move which airlines say would create 61,000 new jobs by 2020.

O’Leary said that cutting APD would allow airlines to make a profit without charging passengers for seats.

This airline’s flights could be completely free within a decade