Ryanair Boss Demands EU Intervention as French Air Traffic Strikes Cripple European Travel

Europe’s largest budget carrier Ryanair has called upon Brussels to address the mounting crisis caused by French air traffic controller strikes, resulting in hundreds of cancelled flights and widespread passenger disruption across the continent.

The industrial action, which began on Thursday, has forced both Ryanair and easyJet to ground numerous services, impacting tens of thousands of travellers at the onset of the French holiday season. The strikes stem from ongoing disputes regarding staff shortages and what unions describe as an oppressive management culture.

Ryanair’s outspoken chief executive Michael O’Leary has characterised these recurring strikes as “recreational,” urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to implement urgent reforms across EU airspace management. The disruption extends beyond French borders, affecting flights traversing French airspace en route to destinations such as Greece and Spain.

The situation has prompted French authorities to request airlines reduce their Paris-bound services. Industry giant IAG, British Airways’ parent company, has adapted by operating fewer flights with larger aircraft to minimise disruption.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot has condemned the industrial action, highlighting significant financial implications for the partially state-owned Air France. EU data confirms France’s position as the worst-performing nation regarding airspace disruption.

O’Leary’s proposed solutions include ensuring full staffing for early morning departures and protecting overflights, measures he claims would eliminate 90 per cent of current delays and cancellations. The dispute underscores growing tensions between air traffic management, commercial aviation interests, and labour rights across European airspace.