In Brussels, Michael O'Leary, the CEO of the European low-cost airline Ryanair, found himself at the center of an unusual incident.
O'Leary was in Brussels as part of his ongoing campaign aimed at urging the European Union to take action regarding air traffic controller strikes affecting flights over France. During a press conference alongside a cardboard cutout of Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, an unexpected event unfolded.
As O'Leary reached into a cardboard box to retrieve a petition signed by 1.5 million people, two women approached him, each holding a cake. One of the women welcomed him to Belgium and playfully pressed the cake against his cheek, while the other placed her cake on the back of his head before smearing it down his back. Throughout this incident, both women shouted, "Stop polluting the air with airplanes."
According to "Simple Flying", O'Leary responded to the cake attack with humor, jokingly calling it a "warm welcome" in Belgium and even commenting that the cake was "delicious."
O'Leary had initially approached the European Commission earlier in the year when the petition garnered a million signatures. His goal was to urge Ursula von der Leyen to take action to protect flights and the freedom of movement for EU citizens during the ongoing air traffic controller strikes.
"In 2023, air traffic controller strikes have continued for an astonishing 63 days, twelve times more than the previous year. These strikes have forced EU airlines to cancel thousands of flights within the EU, affecting travelers from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland. In contrast, France has introduced minimum service laws to protect its domestic and short-haul flights, exacerbating the inconvenience faced by EU passengers".
"President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen's inaction has allowed over 1.2 million EU travelers to experience last-minute flight cancellations, even if their flights are not connected to France," O'Leary stated.
No environmental organization has claimed responsibility for the incident.
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