The DGAC civil aviation authority mandated the cancellation of certain flights to maintain adequate air traffic control coverage. A strike by 270 controllers disrupted operations across Western Europe, forcing Ryanair to cancel 170 flights and impacting 30,000 passengers. There were significant delays at major airports, with cancellations at Paris Charles de Gaulle and Orly. The unrest, led by important labor unions, aims for better conditions in the sector, particularly as summer travel begins and passenger volumes rise.
Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, said on Thursday it was forced to cancel 170 flights, affecting 30,000 passengers. "Once again, European families are being held hostage by French air traffic controllers," said Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary.
According to sources familiar with the matter, 270 air traffic controllers out of a total workforce of around 1,400 went on strike. UNSA-ICNA, the second biggest labour group in the sector, launched the action to demand better working conditions and more staff.
Shortly after 10 am on Thursday, flights were experiencing significant delays, including an average of 1.5 hours for arrivals and 1 hour for departures in Nice, France's third-largest airport.
On the eve of the school holidays on Friday, the situation is expected to become even more tense at Paris airports and Beauvais, where the DGAC has ordered a 40-percent reduction in the number of flights.
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