The air traffic controllers’ strike in France on July 3 and July 4 has caused major disruptions in air travel across Europe amid the busiest travel period of the year. Ireland-based budget airline Ryanair has cancelled 170 flights owing to this strike.
About the French ATC strike
France’s air traffic controllers are striking due to understaffing and poor working conditions. According to a statement by UNSA-ICNA, the country’s second largest air traffic controllers’ union, its union members have primarily blamed poor working conditions, understaffing and failure to modernise tools and equipment as reasons for the strike.
The strike will be carried out on July 3 and July 4, with air traffic controllers planning to walk out on the job.
The French Civil Aviation Authority (DGAC) has said that cancellations are expected at airports in places such as Nice, Bastia, Calvi, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, Figari, Paris-Orly and Beauvais in addition to Paris Charles De Gaulle airport, said the French Vivila Aviation Authority (DGAC). Many airports have been asked to cut down the traffic by 30-50 percent, as per reports.
Ryanair cancels 170 flights
Ryanair on July 3 announced that it was forced to cancel 170 flights ahead of the strike, affecting over 30,000 passengers. The airline called on the European Union Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, to urgently reform the ATC services in the EU to avoid such incidents.
The airline stated that the French ATC strike action comes during the start of the summer holidays, which is one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
The Irish airline warned that the strike will impact routes beyond those departing from and arriving in France. The strike action will impact all French overflights. This means that the flights disrupted would include those that would just need to fly over France en route to their destinations, such as flights from the United Kingdom to Greece, Spain and Ireland, among others.
The airline blamed the country’s “continued failure to protect overflights” during such strike action for these cancellations.
Ryanair’s 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.
He further said:
“Ryanair calls on Ursula von der Leyen to take urgent action to reform EU ATC services by 1.) ensuring that ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of daily departures, and 2.) protecting overflights during national ATC strikes. These 2 splendid reforms would eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable ATC disruptions due to yet another French ATC strike.”
Other airlines are also coping with the strike. Air France has said that it will take the necessary steps to manage the disruption while maintaining long-haul flights.
Will you be impacted by the strike and the cancellations? Do let us know in the comments!
