DUBLIN- Ryanair (FR), Europe’s largest low-cost airline, warns of up to 600 daily flight cancellations from October 7 to 10 due to a French air traffic control (ATC) strike.
The action by the SNCTA union will slash capacity in western European airspace, hitting overflights from London Heathrow (LHR) to destinations like Madrid (MAD).
Chief Executive Michael O’Leary demands EU protection for overflights, arguing that strikes should target only French domestic routes.
According to The Guardian, this disruption could strand up to 100,000 passengers daily, echoing recent strikes that delayed thousands.
Photo: simon butler | FlickrFrench ATC strike Disrupts 600 Flights
The SNCTA, France’s primary ATC union, schedules strikes from the morning of October 7 through the night of October 9, extending into October 10.
This reduces airspace capacity across France, forcing airlines to cancel flights not just to Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) but also those overflying the country.
Ryanair operates about 900 daily flights through French airspace; O’Leary estimates two-thirds, around 600, face cancellation, affecting routes from the UK to Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Airlines receive final cancellation orders close to departure, complicating planning. Ryanair’s recent history underscores the pattern: on September 18, over 190 flights delayed, stranding 35,000 passengers.
A smaller union strike last Thursday grounded 30 Ryanair flights, including overflights. O’Leary’s online statement blasts the EU’s single market hypocrisy: “We cannot have a situation where we close that market every time the French go on strike.”
He urges European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to enforce overflight protections, threatening her position if ignored.
Eurocontrol, which coordinates Europe’s ATC services, could reroute overflights during strikes, O’Leary proposes.
French law shields domestic flights, unfairly burdening international carriers. Broader issues compound the chaos: post-Covid staff shortages in European control centers, technical failures, and closed Ukrainian and Russian airspace squeeze flight paths, leading to more delays.
Photo: Ryanair Boeing 737-800 – Free photo on PixabayRyanair Leads Calls for EU Reform
Ryanair voices the strongest protests, but peers share frustrations. EasyJet (U2) and British Airways (BA) warn of impacts; EasyJet urges passengers to check schedules.
Airlines for Europe labels such strikes “intolerable,” especially in peak travel seasons. Constraints like geopolitical closures force ATC to “regulate” delaying far more flights than pre-pandemic levels.
O’Leary’s campaign pushes for EU mandates: binding arbitration for ATC unions and overflight safeguards, as practiced in Spain, Italy, and Greece.
Ryanair’s petition, “Protect Overflights: Keep EU Skies Open,” gathers over 2 million signatures from affected passengers. Without action, O’Leary warns, French strikes could recur weekly, crippling Europe’s aviation network.
Photo: PxfuelPassenger Impacts and Travel Tips
Up to 100,000 Ryanair passengers daily risk stranding, with knock-on effects rippling to connections at hubs like London Gatwick (LGW).
Budget travelers to Barcelona (BCN) or Rome (FCO) face the brunt, as overflights form core routes. Other carriers withhold exact figures, but Eurocontrol predicts widespread delays.
Travelers should monitor Ryanair’s app for real-time updates, as cancellations hit last-minute. Airlines offer rebooking or refunds per EU rules.
Contact EasyJet or British Airways directly for their flights. Authorities advise arriving early at airports like Orly (ORY) and avoiding non-essential travel through French airspace.
Photo: By kitmasterbloke – https://www.flickr.com/photos/58415659@N00/51752028899/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=114422105Broader European Aviation Challenges
ATC strikes represent one front in Europe’s flight woes. Staff shortages have persisted since COVID, with some centers operating under capacity.
Technical glitches, like recent Eurocontrol outages, add unpredictability. Geopolitical tensions, Ukraine and Russia bans, compress routes, increasing delay risks by 20% over 2019 levels.
Carriers invest in resilience: Ryanair expands bases outside France, while EasyJet boosts direct UK-Mediterranean links.
EU regulators eye reforms, but national competencies slow progress. O’Leary’s push highlights a core tension: worker rights versus seamless travel in a borderless market.
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