Air transport is just a glorified bus operation.

We need more people to go into business and fewer wasting our lives becoming bureaucrats and civil servants.

The unions need to be taken on. British Airways is massively over-staffed and has got to get its costs down. . . . The problem for [chief executive] Willie Walsh is that the board of BA has no spine, no balls and no vision.

All flights are fuelled with Leprechaun wee and my bullshit!

I came into business to make money, I make no apology for that. I wanted to make a lot of money but after the first £50million or £100million, it became less about making money and more about having fun.

It's a great incentive to work long hours. I limit the holiday to two weeks and then get the hell back to the office. If I had my choice I wouldn't take holidays but my wife insists on time with the kids. That's enough. Prior to getting married I never took a holiday.

The French have never produced a great philosopher. Great wine maybe, but no great philosophers.