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ARCHIVED - Ryanair cancels hundreds of flights on Bank Holiday Monday
Flights to Spain and other European destinations could be axed due to the French air traffic control strike
Around 40,000 passengers will see their holiday plans scuppered this Bank Holiday Monday as Ryanair has been forced to cancel 220 flights to destinations including Spain, Italy, the UK and Ireland. CEO Michael O’ Leary has blamed the ongoing French air traffic control strikes and has called on the European Commission to take action.
Monday May 1 marks the 51st day of industrial action in France, whose airport workers are striking over President’s Macron’s plans to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Mr O’ Leary took to social media to slam the French system which fails to protect flights using their airspace if they don’t land in France.
“France is using minimum service legislation to protect its local French flights, but all the cancellations are then being disproportionately being passed on to English flights, Irish flights, Italian flights, Spanish flights [and] German flights. This is unfair,” Mr O’Leary said.
More than 620,000 people have already signed a Ryanair petition demanding that European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen do more to protect passengers during the strike.
“When there are ATC strikes in Italy, they protect overflights,” Mr O’ Leary said.
“In Greece they protect overflights. France must be required by the EU Commission to protect overflights.
“It is unfair that flights from the UK to Spain or from Italy to Portugal are being cancelled simply because a bunch of French air traffic control units want to go on strike. We respect their right to strike, but if they want to strike, cancel the French flights, protect the overflights.”
“To those 40,000 passengers whose flights will be cancelled on Monday, we apologise sincerely,” Mr O’Leary added.
In other news: British man drowns off Costa Brava coast
Image: Archive
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