Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary was hit with cream cakes by climate activists. The U.S. Open semi-final was halted for 45 minutes due to climate protest. Can vandalism be justified in the name of activism? Molly Gambhir tells you more

Gravitas: How far can you go in the name of climate activism?

<p>Ryanair's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael O'Leary was on Thursday (September 7) hit with cream cakes by two women environmental activists who were protesting in Brussels about the impact of air travel on climate change. O'Leary visited the European Commission with a cardboard cutout of President Ursula von der Leyen to deliver a passenger petition calling for overflights to be protected during air traffic control strikes when he was targeted by the stunt. He was about to hold a press conference.</p>

<p>The video of the incident showed an activist approaching O'Leary and said, "Welcome to Belgium before she smeared the cream cake in his face. The activist then shouted,&nbsp;"Stop the pollution of the f****** planes," as a second activist threw another pie in his face.</p>

<h3><strong>Here's a look at the video</strong></h3>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary was hit with cream cakes by two women protesting about the impact of air travel on climate change during a visit to Brussels <a href="https://t.co/eNGXYaIGkA">https://t.co/eNGXYaIGkA</a> <a href="https://t.co/S5X0kc0niT">pic.twitter.com/S5X0kc0niT</a></p>
— Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1699873923813318749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Ryanair CEO was uninjured and tried to laugh off the incident and started with the press conference. "No, we're here to discuss the petition. I love cream cakes. They're my favourite," O'Leary told reporters.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price 😏 <a href="https://t.co/8jruYI3ZxE">pic.twitter.com/8jruYI3ZxE</a></p>
— Ryanair (@Ryanair) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ryanair/status/1699742262937227530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ryanair, meanwhile, went on a meme spree on X (formerly known as Twitter) to describe the incident. "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!," the airline said in a post.</p>

<p>O'Leary said that he was in Brussels to submit Ryanair's latest passenger petition to Ursula von der Leyen, and the number of signatories increased. "We submitted the first petition about six months ago, when we had only 1 million signatories, now 1.5 million signatories have signed our petition calling on Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission to take action to protect overflights during strikes," the Ryanair CEO further said.&nbsp;</p>

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Ryanair's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael O'Leary was on Thursday (September 7) hit with cream cakes by two women environmental activists who were protesting in Brussels about the impact of air travel on climate change.

Ryanair's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael O'Leary was on Thursday (September 7) hit with cream cakes by two women environmental activists who were protesting in Brussels about the impact of air travel on climate change. O'Leary visited the European Commission with a cardboard cutout of President Ursula von der Leyen to deliver a passenger petition calling for overflights to be protected during air traffic control strikes when he was targeted by the stunt. He was about to hold a press conference. The video of the incident showed an activist approaching O'Leary and said, "Welcome to Belgium before she smeared the cream cake in his face. The activist then shouted, "Stop the pollution of the f****** planes," as a second activist threw another pie in his face. Here's a look at the video Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary was hit with cream cakes by two women protesting about the impact of air travel on climate change during a visit to Brussels https://t.co/eNGXYaIGkA pic.twitter.com/S5X0kc0niT — Reuters (@Reuters) September 7, 2023 × The Ryanair CEO was uninjured and tried to laugh off the incident and started with the press conference. "No, we're here to discuss the petition. I love cream cakes. They're my favourite," O'Leary told reporters. Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price 😏 pic.twitter.com/8jruYI3ZxE — Ryanair (@Ryanair) September 7, 2023 × Ryanair, meanwhile, went on a meme spree on X (formerly known as Twitter) to describe the incident. "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!," the airline said in a post. O'Leary said that he was in Brussels to submit Ryanair's latest passenger petition to Ursula von der Leyen, and the number of signatories increased. "We submitted the first petition about six months ago, when we had only 1 million signatories, now 1.5 million signatories have signed our petition calling on Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission to take action to protect overflights during strikes," the Ryanair CEO further said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Watch | Ryanair CEO hit with cream cakes by climate activists. He reacts

<p>“An innocent mistake” made by a crew member on an international flight from Italy to Tel Aviv caused a massive uproar in Israel. According to media reports, the Irish budget airline Ryanair faced boycott calls in the Jewish country earlier this week after one of its officials announced in Italian and English language that the flight (to Tel Aviv) was bound for Palestine. The announcement, which came as a major transgression for Israeli passengers, caused intense dispute on the flight.</p>

<p>Some passengers even tried to get the attendant to “correct” herself; however, she refused and even accused some of them of endangering her safety.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The reference modern day Israel by the the name Palestine represents non-recognition of the Jewish state and is seen as highly provocative by most Israelis.</p>

<h2><strong>Ryanair issues apology</strong></h2>

<p>On Thursday, Ryanair airline issued an apology for the incident, calling it an “innocent mistake.” In a statement issued to the UK’s Jewish Chronicle, the airline said, “A junior crew member on this flight from Bologna to Tel Aviv (10 June) made a routine descent PA mistakenly saying ‘Palestine’ instead of ‘Tel Aviv.’ This was an innocent mistake with no intent and was immediately corrected and apologized for by the senior crew member on board.”</p>

<p>Eddie Wilson, the CEO of the airline, said he was “100% satisfied that this was an innocent mistake with no political overtones or intent". Wilson said that Israel was an "important partner" for Ryanair, adding that it was Israel's second-largest airline.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Ryanair sees over 15 million passengers in May</strong></p>

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<p>"We plan to invest in Israel to grow traffic and connectivity both for Israelis travelling to Europe and also to bring much-needed inbound tourism to Israel," Wilson said.</p>

<h2><strong>Why Tel Aviv is a sensitive issue for the Israelis?</strong></h2>

<p>The city of Tel Aviv has been a subject of dispute between those advocating for Palestinian independence and those recognising the region's historical ties to Jewish settlers in the early 20th century. Many view any claims suggesting that the contested territory rightfully belongs to Palestinians as an attempt to undermine Israel's sovereignty. The use of the name Palestine instead of Israel for Tel Aviv is thus regarded as highly provocative in the Jewish country.</p>

<p>Tel Aviv serves as the major financial and technological hub of Israel, attracting international attention and hosting numerous foreign embassies.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-people-shot-injured-in-suspected-terrorist-attack-in-tel-aviv-570400"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Three people shot, injured in suspected `terrorist attack` in Tel Aviv, gunman killed</strong></a></p>

<p>In December 2017, former US President Donald Trump made an announcement declaring his intention to relocate the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognising it as the true capital of Israel. This decision received criticism from Palestinian leaders and pro-Palestinian organisations at the time.&nbsp;</p>

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“An innocent mistake” made by a crew member on an international flight from Italy to Tel Aviv caused a massive uproar in Israel. According to media reports, the Irish budget airline Ryanair faced boycott calls in the Jewish country earlier this week after one of its officials announced in Italian and English language that the flight (to Tel Aviv) was bound for Palestine.

“An innocent mistake” made by a crew member on an international flight from Italy to Tel Aviv caused a massive uproar in Israel. According to media reports, the Irish budget airline Ryanair faced boycott calls in the Jewish country earlier this week after one of its officials announced in Italian and English language that the flight (to Tel Aviv) was bound for Palestine. The announcement, which came as a major transgression for Israeli passengers, caused intense dispute on the flight. Some passengers even tried to get the attendant to “correct” herself; however, she refused and even accused some of them of endangering her safety. The reference modern day Israel by the the name Palestine represents non-recognition of the Jewish state and is seen as highly provocative by most Israelis. Ryanair issues apology On Thursday, Ryanair airline issued an apology for the incident, calling it an “innocent mistake.” In a statement issued to the UK’s Jewish Chronicle, the airline said, “A junior crew member on this flight from Bologna to Tel Aviv (10 June) made a routine descent PA mistakenly saying ‘Palestine’ instead of ‘Tel Aviv.’ This was an innocent mistake with no intent and was immediately corrected and apologized for by the senior crew member on board.” Eddie Wilson, the CEO of the airline, said he was “100% satisfied that this was an innocent mistake with no political overtones or intent". Wilson said that Israel was an "important partner" for Ryanair, adding that it was Israel's second-largest airline. Watch: Ryanair sees over 15 million passengers in May × "We plan to invest in Israel to grow traffic and connectivity both for Israelis travelling to Europe and also to bring much-needed inbound tourism to Israel," Wilson said. Why Tel Aviv is a sensitive issue for the Israelis? The city of Tel Aviv has been a subject of dispute between those advocating for Palestinian independence and those recognising the region's historical ties to Jewish settlers in the early 20th century. Many view any claims suggesting that the contested territory rightfully belongs to Palestinians as an attempt to undermine Israel's sovereignty. The use of the name Palestine instead of Israel for Tel Aviv is thus regarded as highly provocative in the Jewish country. Tel Aviv serves as the major financial and technological hub of Israel, attracting international attention and hosting numerous foreign embassies. Also read: Three people shot, injured in suspected `terrorist attack` in Tel Aviv, gunman killed In December 2017, former US President Donald Trump made an announcement declaring his intention to relocate the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognising it as the true capital of Israel. This decision received criticism from Palestinian leaders and pro-Palestinian organisations at the time. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Ryanair airline issues apology to Israelis after furore over crew referring to Tel Aviv as Palestine

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="3">Due to the rising cost of fuel, Ryanair’s CEO recently acknowledged that the company will raise its average fare. In a conversation with the BBC, Michael O’Leary said that the era of €10 was over. Leary said that the airline&nbsp;would increase average fare from €40 to €50 over the next five years.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="4">In recent years, air travel has become affordable and more people have started travelling, including it in their annual vacations or even on their short trips. Commercial aviation is currently under pressure to decrease its impact on the environment and also persuade people to travel by air often. Commercial aviation contributes nearly 2.4 per cent to the world’s carbon emissions.</p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="4"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/ryanair-to-appeal-against-hungarys-baseless-consumer-protection-fine-504968">Ryanair to appeal against Hungary's 'baseless' consumer protection fine</a></strong></p>

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="5">Leary further stated that despite the rising cost of living, people will still continue to fly. The airline's CEO, however, stated that he anticipates customers will look for cheaper alternatives than reducing their flying schedule. Although the airline was making investments in more fuel-efficient planes. The CEO claimed that switching from gasoline and diesel to electronic road vehicles would result in far bigger reductions in the consumption of fossil fuels.</p>

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="5"><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/fresh-transport-strikes-hit-uk-mainland-europe-492047">Fresh transport strikes hit UK and Europe</a></strong></p>

<p data-changed="false" data-paragraphid="6">Currently, travellers are eager to board planes again after the Covid epidemic, which interrupted international travel. However, as demand for travel increased, airlines fell short of staff, resulting in the cancellation and delays of flights.</p>

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="7">Despite having its headquarters in Dublin, Ryanair offers hundreds of routes to and from the UK. The CEO said that Britain’s exit from the European Union had been disaster for the free movement of labour and urged the govt to be honest and manage labour shortages.</p>

<p data-changed="true" data-paragraphid="7"><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Due to the rising cost of fuel, Ryanair’s CEO recently acknowledged that the company will raise its average fare. In a conversation with the BBC, Michael O’Leary said that the era of €10 was over.

Due to the rising cost of fuel, Ryanair’s CEO recently acknowledged that the company will raise its average fare. In a conversation with the BBC, Michael O’Leary said that the era of €10 was over. Leary said that the airline would increase average fare from €40 to €50 over the next five years. In recent years, air travel has become affordable and more people have started travelling, including it in their annual vacations or even on their short trips. Commercial aviation is currently under pressure to decrease its impact on the environment and also persuade people to travel by air often. Commercial aviation contributes nearly 2.4 per cent to the world’s carbon emissions. Also read | Ryanair to appeal against Hungary's 'baseless' consumer protection fine Leary further stated that despite the rising cost of living, people will still continue to fly. The airline's CEO, however, stated that he anticipates customers will look for cheaper alternatives than reducing their flying schedule. Although the airline was making investments in more fuel-efficient planes. The CEO claimed that switching from gasoline and diesel to electronic road vehicles would result in far bigger reductions in the consumption of fossil fuels. Also read | Fresh transport strikes hit UK and Europe Currently, travellers are eager to board planes again after the Covid epidemic, which interrupted international travel. However, as demand for travel increased, airlines fell short of staff, resulting in the cancellation and delays of flights. Despite having its headquarters in Dublin, Ryanair offers hundreds of routes to and from the UK. The CEO said that Britain’s exit from the European Union had been disaster for the free movement of labour and urged the govt to be honest and manage labour shortages. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ryanair will increase average fare over the next five years, says CEO

<p>The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents.</p>

<p>"It appears the authorities intended to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio.</p>

<p>"We believe there were some (Belarusian security agency) KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well."</p>

<p>Dublin-headquartered Ryanair is renowned for ultra-low-cost, short-haul flights across the continental bloc.</p>

<p>Favoured by budget holidaymakers, the carrier is an unlikely participant in a high-stakes diplomatic crisis.</p>

<p>"I think it's the first time it's happened to a European airline," O'Leary said.</p>

<p>"It was a state-sponsored hijacking, it was state-sponsored piracy."</p>

<p>The Irish government also blamed Belarus for the diversion and called for a tough response from Brussels.</p>

<p>"We cannot allow this incident to pass based on warnings or strong press releases," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE.</p>

<p>"I think there has to be a real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this."</p>

<p>Belarus on Sunday ordered its military to scramble a fighter jet to force the Ryanair plane to change course and land in its capital city, citing a potential security threat on board. State media in Belarus said President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents.

The airline group Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary has said that Belarus’ forced landing of a Ryanair passenger jet in Minsk was “a state-sponsored hijacking” apparently directed by KGB agents. "It appears the authorities intended to remove a journalist and his travelling companion," Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary told Ireland's Newstalk radio. "We believe there were some (Belarusian security agency) KGB agents offloaded at the airport as well." Dublin-headquartered Ryanair is renowned for ultra-low-cost, short-haul flights across the continental bloc. Favoured by budget holidaymakers, the carrier is an unlikely participant in a high-stakes diplomatic crisis. "I think it's the first time it's happened to a European airline," O'Leary said. "It was a state-sponsored hijacking, it was state-sponsored piracy." The Irish government also blamed Belarus for the diversion and called for a tough response from Brussels. "We cannot allow this incident to pass based on warnings or strong press releases," Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told state broadcaster RTE. "I think there has to be a real edge to the sanctions that are applied on the back of this." Belarus on Sunday ordered its military to scramble a fighter jet to force the Ryanair plane to change course and land in its capital city, citing a potential security threat on board. State media in Belarus said President Alexander Lukashenko had personally given the order. (With inputs from agencies)

State-sponsored hijacking: KGB agents were on board plane forced to land by Belarus, says Ryanair CEO

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Gravitas: How far can you go in the name of climate activism?

Watch | Ryanair CEO hit with cream cakes by climate activists. He reacts

Ryanair airline issues apology to Israelis after furore over crew referring to Tel Aviv as Palestine

Ryanair will increase average fare over the next five years, says CEO

State-sponsored hijacking: KGB agents were on board plane forced to land by Belarus, says Ryanair CEO