Summary
- Ryanair CEO was “pieed” in Brussels during his campaign to handle air traffic control strikes affecting flights over France.
- O’Leary responds humorously, jokes concerning the warm welcome in Belgium, and promotes Ireland’s higher cream.
- Ryanair continues to push for motion, because the airline has already canceled 1000’s of flights resulting from strikes, affecting travelers across Europe and North Africa.
The Chief Executive Officer of European low-cost airline Ryanair received a “warm welcome” today in Brussels. The Irish businessman was outside the offices of the European Commission in Belgium this morning when two activists successfully landed pies on his face and head.
What happened?
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary was in Brussels as a part of his ongoing campaign to get the European Union to take motion on air traffic control strikes affecting flights over France. A video of the incident depicts O’Leary organising for a press conference next to a cardboard cutout of Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. As he reaches right into a cardboard box to withdraw a Ryanair petition signed by 1.5 million people he planned handy to the President later, two women approached him with the pies.
With a “W,” the primary assailant places the pie solidly on his cheek. The second then got here across the cardboard cutout to put her pie on the back of his head before smearing the plate on his back. Each women shouted, “” as they departed.
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O’Leary responded with a “well done” as he proceeded to take off his jacket. When approached by reporters on the scene, he joked that he at all times gets a warm welcome in Belgium before taking out a handkerchief to wipe the cream off his face, joking that it tasted “delicious.”
What was the response?
When pressed by the assembled reporters concerning the incident, he spoke as an alternative concerning the reason he was in Brussels. Still holding the petition, which is several inches thick, he launched into his comments concerning the ongoing air traffic control issues. Pausing midway to to make use of a napkin handed to him to wipe off a few of the remaining cream.
Ryanair’s social media team was quick to capitalize on the situation, posting photos of the incident with captions corresponding to Following the incident, Mr O’Leary told Belgium newspaper La Dernière Heure:
“I even have never had such a warm welcome. Unfortunately, it was environmentalists and the cream was artificial.
“I invite passengers to return to Ireland, where the cream is best!”
O’Leary’s visit coincided with the airline’s announcement that it’s basing two more Boeing 737s at Brussels South Charleroi Airport for a complete of 17 aircraft. It would use the brand new planes to extend frequencies on 30 routes and launch seven latest routes from Charleroi to Amman, Cluj, Iasi, Milan, Nantes, Tirana and Warsaw/
Why was he there?
This isn’t the primary time O’Leary has delivered his petition to the center of the EU. He initially approached the European Commission to take motion when the petition reached a million signatories earlier this yr and urged Ursula von der Leyen to take motion to guard overflights and EU residents’ freedom of movement throughout the ongoing air traffic control strikes.
The airline has been heavily affected by the air traffic control strikes, which might add significant delays on intra-European flights. Ryanair alone has already been forced to cancel 6,500 flights this yr due to disruptions. Speaking in Brussels today, O’Leary told reporters just how significant the impact has been on individual travelers:
“In 2023, there have been a staggering 63 days of air traffic control strikes, a twelvefold increase in comparison with the previous yr. These strikes have forced EU airlines to cancel 1000’s of EU overflights, affecting travellers from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland. In contrast, France has implemented minimum service laws to guard its domestic and short-haul flights, exacerbating the inconvenience faced by EU passengers.
“EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s inaction has allowed over 1.2 million EU travellers to endure last-minute flight cancellations, even when their flights don’t involve France.”
Photo: Jonathan E. Hendry | Easy Flying
The pie incident didn’t look like related to the upcoming Ryanair pilot strike within the country, and no environmental groups have yet taken responsibility for the pieing. The strike is scheduled for September 14th and fifteenth at Brussels South Charleroi Airport, coinciding with the Annual General Meeting of Ryanair shareholders in Dublin. The pilots are requesting a 20% COVID-era pay cut to be reversed and object to a proposed reduction in days off.