Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary has slammed the European Union for failing to protect the bloc’s airports and said that unauthorized drones that disrupt air traffic should be shot down, writes Politico.
In an interview with Politico, when asked about recent drone sightings at European airports, O’Leary countered by asking why these drones aren’t shot down. He also asked why they aren’t being shot down when Czech military aircraft enter NATO airspace.
The airline’s CEO, referring to the events in Poland on the 10th of September, said that the closed airports had disrupted the company’s operations, and the same thing happened when Danish airports were closed due to drones. “It’s disruptive, and we’re calling for action,” O’Leary said.
O’Leary, however, said a “drone wall” would not be the solution, adding,
“Do you think the Russians can’t actually launch a drone from inside Poland?”
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has made the drone wall initiative a central part of NATO’s plan to protect its eastern flank. The Ryanair boss expressed skepticism about their plans and their credibility ahead of an informal meeting of EU leaders in Copenhagen on the 1st of October. O’Leary said he had no faith in European leaders “sitting around drinking tea and eating biscuits.” He added: “If you can’t even protect overflights over France, what chance do we have of them protecting us against Russia?” O’Leary was referring to the air traffic controllers’ strikes in France, which have forced flights to be diverted from French airspace.
The Irishman said he had no confidence in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and that she should resign.
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