‘Intolerable’: Airlines slam passenger disruption caused by French air traffic controller strikes

A onslaught by French aerial postulation controllers (ATC) entered its 2nd time connected Friday pinch formation delays and cancellations continuing for thousands of passengers.

Airlines person slammed nan business action, which comes during 1 of nan busiest months of nan twelvemonth for aerial travel.

Budget hose Ryanair has called connected EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to return urgent action.

Tens of thousands of passengers affected by French airdrome strikes

In consequence to nan walkout, nan French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has asked for a simplification successful airdrome capacity crossed nan country.

Airlines for Europe (A4E) said connected Thursday that a full of 1500 flights person been cancelled connected 3 and 4 July, affecting complete 300,000 passengers.

Late connected Thursday, Ryanair said it has been forced to cancel 400 flights connected Thursday and Friday owed to nan strike, including immoderate flights complete France to nan UK, Spain, Greece and Ireland. It could disrupt recreation for much than 70,000 passengers.

Easyjet has besides said it has had to cancel 274 flights during nan walkout.

Ryanair says European families are ‘held to ransom’ by strikes

The business action comes connected nan eve of nan schoolhouse summertime holidays successful France, erstwhile aerial postulation peaks. These dates are immoderate of nan busiest of nan year, according to DGAC, arsenic galore caput disconnected connected their summertime break.

Ryanair has lambasted nan move. “Once again, European families are held to ransom by French aerial postulation controllers going connected strike,” CEO Michael O’Leary said successful a statement.

He highlighted that nan onslaught is besides affecting each flights passing complete French airspace, meaning passengers who are not landing aliases leaving from France are besides experiencing disruption.

“It is not acceptable that overflights complete French airspace en way to their destination are being cancelled/delayed arsenic a consequence of yet different French ATC strike,” O’Leary said. “It makes nary consciousness and is abundantly unfair connected EU passengers and families going connected holidays.”

The hose has called connected Ursula von der Leyen to return urgent action to betterment nan EU’s ATC services by ensuring that they are afloat staffed for nan first activity of regular departures and protecting overflights during nationalist ATC strikes.

“These 2 splendid reforms would destruct 90 per cent of each ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable disruptions owed to yet different French ATC strike.”

Airline relation calls strikes ‘intolerable’

Airlines for Europe (A4E) has besides deed backmost complete nan disruption caused by nan French ATC strike.

“Tens of thousands of travellers successful France and crossed Europe person seen their summertime getaway grounded arsenic French aerial postulation controllers locomotion out,” nan group said successful a statement.

“Already successful 2025, French ATC has proven to beryllium 1 of nan weakest links successful Europe’s ATC system, posting immoderate of Europe’s worst hold records.”

ATC capacity-related delays successful June 2025 reportedly jumped 115 per cent compared to June 2024.

“European Transport Commissioner Tzitzikostas has many times pressed personnel states to hole poor-performing ATC and it is precocious clip they stopped nan excuses and took action,” nan A4E connection continues.

The group is calling for various measures to forestall early disruption to passengers successful France and crossed Europe:

• Mandatory arbitration earlier ATC unions tin frighten onslaught action
• A 21-day beforehand notification of strike action.
• Provision of a 72-hour beforehand individual notification of information successful business action
• Protection of overflights, while ensuring this is not astatine nan disbursal of departures and arrivals successful nan state wherever nan onslaught originates
• A correct of redress pinch Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) for nan effect of disruption

“This onslaught is intolerable. French ATC already delivers immoderate of Europe’s worst hold figures and now nan actions of a number of French ATC workers will needlessly disrupt nan vacation plans of thousands of group successful France and crossed Europe,” said Ourania Georgoutsakou, Managing Director of A4E.

“There is aggravated chat astir rider authorities successful nan EU correct now, yet policymakers person done small to hole ATC to thief them attain nan astir basal right: reaching your destination connected time.”