Ryanair announced on Thursday that it was forced to cancel 170 flights, disrupting the travel plans of more than 30,000 passengers, due to a nationwide strike by air traffic controllers in France scheduled for later in the day and Friday. The disruption coincides with the start of Europe’s summer holidays, typically one of the busiest travel periods of the year. According to France 24, the French civil aviation authority (DGAC) on Wednesday requested several airlines to reduce their operations at Paris airports by 40% on 4 July due to the impending strike. Ryanair stated that the industrial action would not only impact flights to and from France, but also those passing through French airspace. The airline warned that passengers flying from the United Kingdom to destinations such as Greece, or from Spain to Ireland, would also face delays or cancellations. Ryanair’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take immediate steps to reform the EU’s air traffic control services, calling the ongoing disruption “unacceptable for passengers and airlines alike.”
