Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary was pied in the face by climate activists in a stunt during a press conference in Brussels this morning.
He was outside the European Commission and preparing to deliver a 1.8 million signature-strong petition calling for "overflights" in France to be protected.
The online petition said that recent French air traffic control strikes have resulted in over 4000 flights being cancelled, primarily routes that fly through French airspace but do not depart from or land there.
As O'Leary was pulling out the signatures, video captured two activists walking up and hitting him in the face with two cream pies.
“Welcome in Belgium. Stop the pollution of the f******* planes,” the activists were heard saying, walking away immediately after.
Joining O'Leary for the media stand-up was a cardboard cut-out of Ursula von der Leyen, which was untouched by the pies.
O'Leary was not injured and did not appear phased as he wiped pieces of pie away and continued the press conference with cream on the left side of his face.
He refused to acknowledge what had happened seconds earlier, telling reporters “we’re here to discuss the petition. I love cream cakes. They’re my favourite”.
The airline made light of the incident in separate posts to X/Twitter.
"Shame it was soy-based cream, definitely not as tasty as the real stuff 🥴," one post read.
"Instead of buying cream pies, could have bought a flight from Belgium for the same price 😏," said another.
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