Ryanair Boss Demands EU Shoot Down Airport Drones, Dismisses ‘Useless’ Drone Wall Defense Plan

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary is demanding that European authorities shoot down unauthorized drones disrupting airport operations, while dismissing the EU’s proposed “drone wall” defense initiative as ineffective ahead of a critical summit in Copenhagen where leaders will discuss the plan.

The outspoken airline executive’s call comes as drone incursions attributed to Russia have repeatedly forced airport closures across Europe, costing airlines millions in delays and diversions.

Why This Matters Now

Recent drone incidents have moved from theoretical threat to operational nightmare for European aviation. When Polish airports closed for four hours three weeks ago, Ryanair’s on-time performance plummeted from 90% to 60%—affecting thousands of passengers and highlighting the industry’s vulnerability to even brief airspace disruptions. For drone professionals, this escalating crisis raises urgent questions about counter-drone technology effectiveness and the legal framework for neutralizing aerial threats.

Recent Incidents Expose Aviation Vulnerability

Polish authorities closed multiple airports for four hours in early September after approximately 19 Russian drones violated their airspace. The disruption rippled across Europe’s air traffic network.

Last week, Denmark experienced even more dramatic incidents. Copenhagen Airport shut down for nearly four hours on September 22 after unidentified drones were spotted in controlled airspace. Days later, Aalborg Airport closed twice within 24 hours due to similar activity.

Danish authorities have not yet identified perpetrators, though officials haven’t ruled out Russian involvement. The timing is significant—these incidents occurred just days before Copenhagen hosts EU leaders for defense discussions.

O’Leary Launches Scathing Attack on EU Response

Speaking to POLITICO, O’Leary questioned the entire approach to drone defense. “Why aren’t we shooting these drones down?” he asked, comparing the situation to how NATO would respond if Russian military aircraft violated airspace.

He dismissed the proposed drone wall initiative outright. “I don’t think a drone wall has any effect whatsoever,” O’Leary said. “Do you think the Russians can’t actually launch a drone from inside Poland?”

The Ryanair chief extended his criticism to EU leadership more broadly. “I have no faith in European leaders sitting around drinking tea and eating biscuits,” he said, referencing ongoing French air traffic control strikes. “I have no faith in von der Leyen. She’s useless and she should quit.”

O’Leary’s controversial statements align with his well-documented pattern of provocative public commentary, though his operational concerns reflect real industry frustrations with aviation disruptions.

The Drone Wall: Defense Initiative or False Promise?

EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has positioned the drone wall as the “bedrock” of the Eastern Flank Watch defense plan. The initiative would create a layered network of detection and interception systems along Europe’s eastern borders.

Wednesday’s informal European Council meeting in Copenhagen will see 27 EU leaders discuss four flagship defense projects, with the drone wall as an immediate priority. The system aims to provide advanced detection, tracking, and interception capabilities against unmanned aerial vehicles.

Kubilius told reporters the drone wall could become operational within a year, focusing first on “an effective detection system.” However, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned earlier that full implementation could take three to four years.

The technical challenge is substantial. These systems must distinguish between legitimate commercial drone operations and hostile threats while maintaining normal aviation operations—requiring sophisticated AI-driven real-time threat assessment.

Legal and Operational Questions Remain

O’Leary’s call to shoot down drones raises complex legal questions about authorization and rules of engagement. Current frameworks weren’t designed for scenarios where cheap, expendable drones can shut down major airports.

When NATO forces shot down Russian drones over Poland in September, it marked the first time shots were fired by the alliance since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. That incident involved clear violations of sovereign airspace by drones crossing from Ukrainian territory.

Denmark’s response has been more cautious. Despite multiple airport closures, Danish authorities chose not to attempt shooting down drones over Aalborg, with police stating the aircraft “flew over a very large area over a couple of hours” and presented operational challenges.

The country has since imposed a temporary ban on all civilian drone flights through Friday to simplify security work ahead of the summit.

DroneXL’s Take

O’Leary raises uncomfortable but important questions that aviation authorities have been slow to answer. His aggressive rhetoric aside, the operational reality is stark: modern airport security wasn’t built for the drone era, and expensive defense systems may arrive too late.

The drone wall concept faces a fundamental problem O’Leary correctly identifies—adversaries can adapt faster than bureaucracies can build walls. If hostile actors can launch cheap commercial-grade drones from within NATO territory, perimeter defenses become obsolete before they’re operational.

What Europe really needs isn’t just better sensors and interceptors, but a complete rethinking of aviation security doctrine. That means clear legal authority for rapid drone neutralization, distributed counter-drone systems at every major airport, and international protocols that move at the speed of technology rather than diplomatic consensus.

The Copenhagen summit will show whether EU leaders are ready for that conversation, or whether they’ll opt for the expensive, slow-moving defense projects that O’Leary—rightly or wrongly—dismisses as tea-and-biscuits theater.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.