JetII, I guess you missed the program on CH4 about Coke the other night?
In the mid seventies a bunch of managers on the board of Coke came up with the idea of changing the taste to better compete with Pepsi. The result...New Coke...was a complete and utter flop. After toughing it out in the face of public protest for about six months, they finally backed down and returned 'Classic Coke' to the shelves. 'New Coke' died a slow death and finally dissapeared from the shelves.
Those managers were operating under the same arrogant delusion that O'Leary aims to push on you...that it doesn't matter about the nuts and bolts (or taste of the sugar water) because "I can sell anything, to anyone, at any time".
Aircraft are rather more complex beasts than Mousetraps, or Oranges, or even Sugar Water. I believe MOL has no interest in aircraft PER SE, however he needs to know what they are capable of in order to do his job. For instance, how did he know how long it takes to go from Stansted to Rome? How does he know how long it takes to turn an aircraft around? How does he know how to make it happen? How does he know the range capabilities of his 'aero-thingies'. What about maintenance regimes? And a million other important details.
There are a million things about operating in this business that a CEO (starting up from scratch!) needs to know or understand. Yes of course he has good backup, good advice, but he still needs to understand the constituent elements in order to lead from the front. Otherwise, who really made FR great? The staff and advisors? Lets do away with Michael then!
I believe MOL knows his aero-thingies very well indeed. I believe he does his homework. He may not have to like his homework...but he does it anyhow, and very well too. The fact that he's spent time loading bags and checking in the passengers tells me more about MOL's interest in the nuts and bolts than all the huffing and bluster in a hundred press releases. He'd fly the bloody things too if they let him.