Airline chief lets fly at 'lazy frogs'

It is not quite in the class of "cheese-eating surrender monkeys", but Philip Meeson, the chief executive of the discount carrier Jet2.com, has come up with his own insult for the French - "lazy frogs".

Mr Meeson, a former RAF and aerobatics pilot, let fly at the French when his planes were last week delayed by striking traffic air controllers amid unrest over the government's contentious new employment law.

Michael O'Leary, the Ryanair boss, is notorious for shooting his mouth off - but Mr Meeson put him in the shade with his outburst, posted on the Jet2.com website.