Strikes in Europe have forced Ryanair to cancel 420 flights on Friday, affecting 80,000 passengers.
French Air Traffic Control (ATC) are to take part in a one day strike, leading the airline to call on the EU to protect overflights over French airspace.
Ryanair has said that all 80,000 customers who are affected by the cancellations have been notified via email or SMS.
Read more: Jet2 announces Iceland route from Belfast International Airport
A spokesperson for Ryanair said in a statement: “Ryanair sincerely apologises to its customers for these unnecessary disruptions that this French ATC strike will cause them.”
Ryanair Operations Director Neal McMahon said the strike was “inexplicable” and “inexcusable”.
He said: “It is inexplicable that thousands of European citizens/visitors will have their travel plans unfairly disrupted tomorrow, (Fri 16th Sept) by yet another French ATC strike. Ryanair is once again calling for immediate EU action to prevent these ATC strikes disrupting the travel plans of thousands of European citizens/visitors.
“It is inexcusable that passengers who are not even flying to/from France are disrupted because they overfly French Airspace at a time when French laws protect French domestic flights. It is time that the EU step in and protect overflights so that European passengers are not repeatedly held to ransom by a tiny French ATC union.”
Flights between between Spain, Italy, Ireland, Germany and other countries that have a flight overflying France, will be primarily affected by the cancellations.
Ryanair has proposed three measures that it suggests would alleviate the impact of these French ATC strikes on Europe’s citizens and visitors.
These include:
- Require French ATC unions to engage in binding arbitration instead of strikes
- Protect French overflights (under minimum services laws)
- Allow Europe’s other ATCs to manage overflights over France while French ATC unions strike
READ NEXT:
- Niall Horan chats to delighted fans at Belfast City Airport
-
Belfast City Airport boss says measures in place to help avoid queues and delay
-
Two new 'Winter Sun' flight routes announced from Belfast for 2023/24
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
