Foto: BB.LV / O Лири
In an interview with Euronews, Michael O'Leary, the head of the largest airline in Europe, primarily criticized Brussels' environmental policy. According to him, European airlines are forced to pay for emissions on flights within the EU, while American, Chinese, and other carriers operating long-haul flights do not incur comparable costs under this system. The head of Ryanair proposed instead to introduce a fair charge for all aircraft arriving in and departing from Europe, regardless of the airline's country of registration. O'Leary was particularly harsh in his remarks about Ursula von der Leyen. He recalled the report by former Italian Prime Minister and ex-head of the European Central Bank Mario Draghi, who warned back in September 2024 that without serious economic reforms, the EU faces a "slow agony." "Two years later, none of his recommendations have been implemented, and Ursula von der Leyen hides in Berlaymont and does nothing but give speeches," O'Leary stated. It is worth noting that Berlaymont is a high-rise building in Brussels that houses the headquarters of the European Commission. Serious complaints about the EU's economic policy are also voiced at the level of state leaders. For instance, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš criticized the emissions trading system at the EU summit in October, which raises energy prices and undermines the competitiveness of European enterprises. The Czech Republic, along with Italy, Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, sought a delay in expanding this system to automotive fuel and building heating. However, there is no consensus among EU countries on this issue. Dissatisfaction with the work of the European Commission is also expressed by politicians who are hard to suspect of rejecting European integration. French President Emmanuel Macron criticized Brussels' decision in February to begin the temporary application of a trade agreement with South American countries MERCOSUR, despite objections from Europeans. Overall, the authoritarianism of the head of the EC, her arrogant unwillingness to hear criticism and see the rational grain in the opinions of opponents, is no longer just personal qualities of von der Leyen, but factors that genuinely hinder the development of the EU. It should be noted that many opposition members of the European Parliament have repeatedly told her this to her face from the podium, but the head of the European Commission has consistently demonstrated feigned indifference, flipping through papers and not listening to the speakers. It remains to add that this was the reason for O'Leary's dissatisfaction when he gave the current interview. Ryanair announced a reduction in its winter schedule in Belgium: the company is cutting 20 routes and 1.1 million passenger seats, while transferring six aircraft to other countries. The reason is the Belgian government's decision to increase the aviation tax from 2 euros in January 2025 to 7 euros from January 2027. According to O'Leary, the company prefers to operate where authorities do not increase the costs for airlines. He called Belgium, France, and Germany uncompetitive. But the troubles for passengers do not end there. As [reported](https://bb.lv/statja/ekonomika/2026/10/21/aviabilety-mogut-silno-podorozat-glava-ryanair-predupredil-o-trudnom-2027-gode) by BB.lv, the head of Ryanair warned that in 2027, airline tickets could increase by 20% due to a sharp rise in aviation fuel prices amid the war in the Middle East. This year, Ryanair is protected from price spikes by previously signed contracts for fuel purchases at around $67 per barrel; however, for the next year, most of the airline's needs are not covered by such contracts. At the same time, in addition to rising fuel costs, the EU's environmental requirements also affect flight prices. They further increase the expenses of airlines, and therefore the cost of tickets.
