A nationwide air traffic control strike in France has led to the cancellation of 16 flights between Dublin Airport and destinations in France and Spain, disrupting travel plans for thousands of passengers at the start of Europe’s busy summer holiday season.
The cancellations, which include eight departures and eight arrivals, affect services to Paris, Biarritz, Nice, and Murcia. Dublin Airport Authority (Daa) spokesperson Graeme McQueen said that, as of now, no flights have been cancelled to or from Cork Airport.
“Passengers due to fly to or over mainland Europe today are advised to check directly with their airline for the latest updates,” McQueen said. He described the disruption as “regrettable” and urged the European Union and member states to introduce reforms to minimise the impact of such strikes on travellers.
The strike, organised by French air traffic controller unions, is set to continue through Friday. France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) has asked airlines to cut flights at Paris airports by 40% on July 4. The industrial action not only affects flights to and from France but also aircraft flying over French airspace — a key transit corridor for many European routes.
Budget airline Ryanair said it was forced to cancel more than 170 flights, impacting an estimated 30,000 passengers. The carrier warned that flights between the UK and Greece, as well as between Spain and Ireland, would also face delays and cancellations due to French overflight restrictions.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary strongly criticised the ongoing disruption, calling it “unacceptable” and accusing French air traffic controllers of “holding European families to ransom.”
“It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays,” O’Leary said. He urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to implement urgent reforms, including full staffing of air traffic control services during peak hours and protection of overflights during national strikes.
“These two reforms would eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations,” O’Leary added.
Ryanair has also been dealing with fallout from recent geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which contributed to the cancellation of more than 800 flights last month. Despite the disruptions, the airline operated over 109,000 flights in June and carried 19.9 million passengers — a 3% increase from the same month last year.
With more strikes potentially looming and summer travel ramping up, airlines and passengers alike are bracing for continued turbulence in the weeks ahead.
