Ryanair has cancelled over 100 flights due to more French strikes on Tuesday 5 July
Budget airline Ryanair has called on the European Commission to take action over striking air traffic controllers (ATC) in France, after being forced to cancel more than 100 flights.
The company has had to call off 102 flights due to take place tomorrow, and said the cancellations will affect over 18,000 customers – with 100,000 more set to suffer "severe delays".
According to Ryanair, this is the 53rd French ATC strike in seven years, and the 13th in the last 14 weeks. Just last week the firm called for EU action to deal with strikes. And football fans travelling to and around France for the Euro 2016 championship were hit by cancellations and delays due to industrial action.
Ryanair said it wants the Commission to introduce "three simple measures" which would alleviate the impact of the strikes:
- a requirement that French ATC unions engage in binding arbitration instead of strikes;
- that Europe’s other ATCs be allowed to operate flights over France while their unions strike;
- and that flightpaths over France be protected during French ATC strikes.
“These unacceptable French strikes have become weekly events by now, aimed at causing maximum disruption for families and business passengers, which is why we are calling on the European Commission to take action to prevent these ATC strikes from disrupting the travel plans of Europe’s citizens and their families," said Ryanair's Kenny Jacobs.
"The recent Brexit vote underlines that the EU Commission must begin to deliver real benefits for Europe’s consumers, and show families and holiday makers that Europe is on their side and will not allow a small group of French ATC unions to repeatedly close the skies over Europe.”