Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary stunned as he takes pie to the face in shock snaps but delivers typical response
RYANAIR boss Michael O’Leary was pied in the face in Brussels as he announced seven new Belgian routes in their winter schedule – but joked the cream is better in Ireland.
The budget airline chief was lashed with a cream pie to the face and the back of his head and retorted: “This is the warmest welcome I’ve ever received in Belgium.”
The outspoken boss, 62, was on his way to deliver his Protect Overflights: Keep EU Skies Open petition to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s office in Brussels when activists made their move.
One of the activists told O’Leary “welcome in Belgium” as she planted her pie.
And the other activist fumed “stop the pollution from planes” as she smeared her pastry on the Ryanair chief before the pair walked off.
O’Leary laughed off the stunt and asked an assistant to take his soiled jacket away to be cleaned.
He said: “Unfortunately it was environmentalists and the cream was artificial. I invite passengers to come to Ireland where the cream is better!”
And Ryanair were quick to make light of the incident on social media, posting: “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!”
O’Leary was straight back to business as he fumed over the impact of air traffic control strikes on passengers.
He blasted: “In 2023, there have been a staggering 63 days of ATC strikes, a twelvefold increase compared to the previous year.
“These strikes have forced EU airlines to cancel thousands of EU overflights, affecting travellers from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland.
“In contrast, France has implemented Minimum Service Laws to protect 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 do not involve France.”
He previously raged: “It’s not acceptable that UK Nats simply allow their computer systems to be taken down and everybody’s flights get cancelled.”
The activists’ pie protest came as Ryanair pilots in Belgium announced a new strike on September 14 and 15 – their fourth stoppage in two months – over pay and working conditions.
Pilots have demanded “an immediate end to the blackmail carried out by the company to correlate the negotiation of a new collective work agreement with the abandonment of all individual legal procedures in progress”.