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Ongoing strikes in France have resulted in flights across Europe facing cancelation as international airlines face the closure of French airspace. Air Traffic Controllers in France are joining other workers' unions to participate in industrial action across the country as Ryanair calls on the European Union to intervene.

Low-cost-carrier Ryanair is petitioning the European Union Commission to enact policies that protect flights overflying France during the ongoing French Air Traffic Control (ATC) strikes as it faces hundreds of last-minute cancelations. Current minimum service laws in France prevent the strikes from affecting domestic flights, but flights flying over the country (for instance, from London to Rome) are not protected.

The airline issued a strongly-worded condemnation of the EU Commission today (April 13th) as it faced the 38th day of French ATC strikes in just three months. Ryanair called out EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her "inexcusable failure" to protect the fundamental right to the Freedom of Movement that EU citizens are entitled to by irresponsibly allowing EU skies to be closed repeatedly during French ATC strikes.

The airline confirmed that some 627,000 Ryanair passengers were destined to travel on flights that were canceled at short notice due to French ATC strikes in the first three months of 2023 alone. Such neglect, the airline argues, diminishes essential intra-European connectivity and damages tourism. A spokesperson for Ryanair today reiterated the airline's call for an intervention:

Today, French ATC are striking for the 38th day in just 3 months with thousands more EU passengers having their flights to see friends and family unfairly cancelled at short notice. While we have no difficulty with French unions exercising their right to strike, we do expect President von der Leyen to do her job and defend and protect EU citizens/visitors fundamental right to the Freedom of Movement, which she and her College of Commissioners have inexplicably failed to do.

"It is completely disproportionate and unfair that the French [Government] can use Minimim Services Legislation to protect internal French flights but force the cancellation of flights over France. President von der Leyen should protect EU citizens/visitors on non-French flights overflying French Airspace from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK and Ireland. The EUs Single Market for air travel and overflights should not be repeatedly cancelled because the EU Commission fails to take action."

The continuing strikes have resulted in significant delays and cancelations for Europe's airlines. Ryanair is not alone in its situation. British Airways was forced to cancel 8% of its flights recently, as many of the carrier's short-haul services overfly France.

Last month, the low-cost carrier launched a petition to implement policies to protect flights overflying France during the ongoing nationwide strikes. The letter calls for the European Commission to take several immediate actions to protect passengers' rights, both visitors and EU citizens, trying to travel across the continents. As of press time, some 178,348 people have signed the petition. If any petition receives one million signatures from seven different EU countries, the Commission is required to consider it officially.

The petition argues that there are four primary ways that passengers could easily make it to their final destinations without impeding on French ATC unions' right to strike with the following measures:

Ryanair reiterated that it supports the French unions but emphasizes that they can exercise their right to strike without being allowed to close the entire upper French airspace. Air Traffic Controller unions in Spain, Italy, and Greece have previously initiated industrial action while protecting overflights. A spokesperson for the airline labeled it "completely disproportionate and unfair" that internal French flights are protected as overflights from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland face cancellation.

This is not the first time the airline has brought up the subject of air traffic control reform. Ryanair's Michael O'Leary spoke to Simple Flying in late March on what he views as the failure of President von der Leyen and the EU Commission to protect EU citizens' right to the Freedom of Movement:

"The Commission don't like taking any action. Particularly this commission here led by von der Leyen and Adina Vlean, the transport commissioner, is useless. They've done nothing for three years."

The strikes are part of an ongoing nationwide movement across various industries.

Source: Forbes, Ryanair, Travel Weekly

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Ryanair Calls Out The EU Commission President Over Continued ... - Simple Flying