Cabin crew members launching the calendar in 2011 Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland Sasko Lazarov / Photocall Ireland / Photocall Ireland

RYANAIR CHIEF EXECUTIVE Michael O’Leary has said the airline is scrapping its controversial cabin crew swimsuit calendar.

He said the calendar – which featured actual female Ryanair cabin crew lounging around in revealing lingerie – was “unfortunately” being axed as it was no longer in keeping with the airline’s new friendlier image.

O’Leary made the comments in an interview with Ray D’Arcy on Today FM, saying the bikini calendar was “a great idea by the cabin crew” which “genuinely did make huge amounts of money for charity”. He said:

Unfortunately we’re going to replace the calendar this year. It’s no longer in keeping with the new warm and cuddly Ryanair, so we’re going to be launching a new different charity drive.

The interview was originally aired on September 23. However, O’Leary’s comments were only reported this week, when they were picked up by AOL’s Emma Woollacott.

When contacted this morning, Ryanair said in a statement:

We are finalising our charity options for 2015 which will be unveiled soon.

The cabin crew calendar generated considerable publicity for Ryanair, which also produced a ‘making of’ video each year.

However, there was also considerable criticism.

O’Leary famously said at one stage that the reason the airline didn’t produce a male equivalent was because women “are too smart to buy swimsuit-clad men”.

More: 8 key moments from the new Ryanair cabin crew calendar>