US Edition
Ryanair chief Michael O’Leary has been attacked with cream pies by climate activists during a trip to Brussels.
The outspoken airline chief was ambushed by environmental activists during a visit to the European Commission’s headquarters to deliver a petition to EU leader Ursula von der Leyen.
A video of the incident shows two women dressed in black shouting “welcome in Belgium” as both hit him with pies. One hit him in the face, while the other went on the top of his head.
They then shouted “stop the pollution of the ******* planes”. The two women have not been identified and it is not clear if they were part of an environmental group.
Mr O’Leary, 62, responded “well done” before composing himself and taking off his jacket.
After the incident, Mr O’Leary told Belgium newspaper La Dernière Heure: “I have never had such a warm welcome. Unfortunately it was environmentalists and the cream was artificial.
“I invite passengers to come to Ireland where the cream is better!”
The company tweeted: “Warm welcome in Brussels today to celebrate RYR’s 7 new routes for Winter ‘23.
“Passengers so happy with our routes and petition that they’re celebrating with cake. We’ve got tasty low fares!”
Mr O’Leary was struck as he stood alongside a cardboard cutout of European Commission President Ms von der Leyen, who he planned to hand a Ryanair petition signed by 1.5 million people.
The petition calls for reform of the so-called “overflight” laws. Current EU rules prevent airlines from flying over countries when local air traffic control staff are on strike, even if the plane does not intend to land there.
Ryanair has blamed the regulations for thousands of cancellations and delays across Europe this year, which has resulted in chaos for passengers and threatened to hinder the travel industry’s recovery from Covid lockdowns.
The low-cost carrier claimed that industrial action has mainly affected flights passing over France, which despite using minimum service rules to protect domestic and short haul flights has disproportionately cancelled overflights.
Air traffic control (ATC) capacity and staffing issues related to industrial action have pushed up the number of delayed flights across Europe by 36pc so far this year, according to data published last month by air traffic manager Eurocontrol.
Mr O’Leary previously said: “Europe’s passengers are sick and tired of suffering unnecessary overflight cancellations during ATC strikes. The EU Commission must now act upon the petition of more than 1.1 million EU citizens and insist that all states protect overflights during national ATC strikes as is already done in Greece, Italy and Spain.”