Thousands of travellers, including many Brits, are facing major disruptions as air traffic control strikes in France cause widespread flight cancellations and delays across Europe at one of the busiest times of the year. The industrial action by French air traffic controllers on July 3 and 4 has triggered a ripple effect, severely affecting holidaymakers at the start of the summer holiday season. The European airline industry lobby group, Airlines for Europe (A4E), which includes Ryanair, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, British Airways, and EasyJet, warned that more than 1,500 flights would be cancelled over the two days, impacting nearly 300,000 travellers across Europe.
933 flights were cancelled on Thursday, accounting for around 10% of all scheduled flights in France, according to the French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC). Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, also said it cancelled 170 flights on Thursday, affecting over 30,000 passengers.
Some airports have been hit particularly hard, with cancellations reaching 50% at Nice Airport, the country’s third busiest airport, and 25% at Paris’s main hubs, Charles de Gaulle and Orly, Le Monde reported.
These airports typically handle around 350,000 passengers every day during the peak summer season.
The striking air traffic controllers are calling for better working conditions and protesting staff shortages and inadequate equipment.
Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of Airlines for Europe (A4E), said: “This strike is intolerable.
“French air traffic control is already responsible for some of the worst delays in Europe, and now the actions of a minority of French air traffic controllers will disrupt the holiday plans of thousands of people in France and across Europe.”
CEO of Ryanair, Michael O’Leary, said: “Once again, European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike.
“It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike.
“It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.”
Ryanair is calling on the EU to ensure that air traffic services are fully staffed during peak departure times and to protect overflights during national strikes such as this one.