A two-day strike by French air traffic controllers has sparked outrage among European airlines after more than 1,000 flights were disrupted across the continent, costing carriers millions of euros at the height of the summer travel season.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary didn't mince words, blaming what he called “recreational strikes” for the cancellation of over 400 Ryanair flights and disruption to 70,000 passengers, News.Az reports, citing Politico.
"I’d be better if I wasn’t canceling 400 flights and 70,000 passengers just because a bunch of French air traffic controllers want to have recreational strikes," O'Leary told.
Air France-KLM CEO Benjamin Smith echoed the frustration, calling the walkout “extremely expensive for us. It costs us millions of euros,” during a Friday press call.
The strike, which took place on Thursday and Friday, stemmed from a labor dispute involving two of France’s largest air traffic control unions, UNSA-ICNA and USAC-CGT. The conflict centers on staffing shortages and the implementation of a controversial biometric time clock system to monitor attendance.
Despite affecting a relatively small number of controllers, 270 out of 1,400 participated on Thursday, the strike's impact was enormous. Airlines across Europe were forced to ground or reroute flights, with ripple effects reaching as far as Ireland, Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Poland.
O’Leary criticized both the French air traffic system and the European Commission, accusing it of failing to uphold the single market by allowing national strikes to disrupt flights that merely pass through French airspace.
"It is indefensible that today I’m canceling flights from Ireland to Italy, from Germany to Spain, from Portugal to Poland,” O'Leary said. “360 of our 400 cancellations were overflights, which would operate if the Commission protected them, as Spain, Italy and Greece do during strikes.”
He saved his harshest words for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, accusing her of inaction and calling for her resignation if reforms to protect overflights are not implemented.
"Von der Leyen would rather sit in her office in Brussels, pontificating about Palestine or U.S. trade agreements… anything but take any effective action to protect the flights of holidaymakers,” O’Leary said.
The European Commission has so far resisted calls to intervene, pointing to international and EU laws that leave air traffic control matters under the jurisdiction of individual member states.
Transport spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen acknowledged the disruption but said the Commission “fully acknowledges the legitimate right of strikes” and emphasized that air traffic control is a national responsibility.
As European vacationers begin their summer holidays, airlines are urging swift action to prevent further strikes from derailing travel plans and damaging Europe’s aviation reputation.
"It’s a horrible image for France,” Smith said. “It’s not something you see in the rest of Europe.”
