UK will agree Brexit deal - Ryanair CEO

Outspoken, controversial, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has been a vocal critic of the risks to the airline sector posed by Brexit.

Ahead of it happening, he said, the UK was suffering 'political craziness'.

Once that had passed, its only choice would be to reach a Brexit deal.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE MICHAEL O'LEARY, SAYING:

"The UK's national interest is best-served by staying in the European Union, it's nuts to leave it. But if you are going to leave, the first thing you've got to do on the day after you leave is re-negotiate a trade deal with the European Union. It's still going to be the UK's biggest trading partner."

O'Leary campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum.

Since then, Britain and the EU have agreed a deal to allow flights to continue in the short-term.

But, he noted, there was still uncertainty.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE MICHAEL O'LEARY, SAYING:

"Am I confident of anything in the next 5-10 weeks? No. I have no idea what's going to happen. I suspect that, on balance, what happens is there's going to be some kind of a Brexit, but with a deal."

In the longer term, Brexit, he thinks, will not impact on Ryanair's business.

Though the business itself is in transition.

As are the competitors to what is Europe's largest budget airline:

(SOUNDBITE) (English) RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE MICHAEL O'LEARY, SAYING:

"I think it is inevitable that in the next five or six years Europe consolidates around four large carriers, each with around twenty percent market share - IAG, Lufthansa, Air France KLM and Ryanair. Everybody else either disappears, merges, gets taken over or partners with one or other of those big four."

Tour operator Thomas Cook's exit from the market in recent weeks, he claimed, shows the traditional tour package is - quote - "dead".

Britain's aviation regulator, the CAA, contributing to the chaos around its collapse, he added, through a 'deficient' licensing regime.