Michael O’Leary at Westminster

Tuesday 15 June (09:30) will see Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary appear before the House of Commons Transport Select Committee regarding the skyjacking of flight 4978 Sunday 23 May.  It is live on Parliament TV.

The President of Belarus has rejected international criticism that the aircraft diversion was an ‘act of piracy’ or ‘hijacking’ staged to arrest a political opponent. Ryanair has described the incident as a ‘state-sponsored hijacking.’

In the meantime, the UK Government has issued a notice to advise all UK airlines to cease overflights of Belarusian airspace. Belavia, Belarus’s national airline, also had its operating permit to fly between the UK and Belarus suspended. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has summoned the Belarusian Ambassador to discuss the UK’s “deep alarm at the Belarussian authorities’ reckless actions.”  The Secretary of State, Dominic Raab MP, said that “the UK is working with our allies on a co-ordinated response, including further sanctions.”

Also appearing (in this order) are Dr Antonios Tzanakopoulos, Associate Professor  of Public International Law, University of Oxford; Dr Miles Jackson, Associate Professor of Law, University of Oxford; Robert Courts, Aviation Minister, Department for Transport; Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive, Civil Aviation Authority. See BTN 31 May.

www.ryanair.com

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

James Tarleton, Dublin Ireland

Will the commons interview be on Newsnight

Joe White, Brighton

This is a curious one. Other than the fact an airline hijacking is a very serious international incident why is an Irish citizen with a single aircraft on the UK register taking up the time of a Parliamentary committee.