BRUSSELS — A recent two-day strike by French air traffic controllers has significantly impacted over a thousand flights, inciting outrage among airlines that have suffered considerable financial losses as a result.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, expressed his frustrations, stating, “I’d be better if I wasn’t canceling 400 flights and 70,000 passengers just because a bunch of French air traffic controllers want to have recreational strikes.” His sentiment reflects the mounting pressure airlines are facing due to such disruptions.
Reasons behind the strike
The industrial action, which occurred on Thursday and Friday, stemmed from disputes between two unions and the French directorate general for civil aviation. Key issues included allegations of understaffing and the controversial introduction of a biometric time clock system for monitoring the attendance of air traffic controllers.
Air France-KLM Group’s CEO, Benjamin Smith, also highlighted the financial strain of the strike, noting, “The walkout is extremely expensive for us. It costs us millions of euros.” This financial burden exacerbates the issue for airlines that are already grappling with tight margins.
Frequent disruptions and calls for accountability
Airlines are increasingly frustrated with recurrent strikes in France, which have become a common hurdle in managing flight schedules. O’Leary pointed out that the real issue lies in the management of air traffic controllers, stating, “There’s no shortage of air traffic controllers in France. The real issue is that they don’t roster them particularly well.” His comments indicate a growing concern over operational inefficiencies.
Smith emphasized the negative image that such strikes project, particularly during peak travel seasons: “It’s a horrible image for France, for customers at the beginning of the summer vacation season coming into this wonderful country, to be faced with either delayed or canceled flights.”
Long-standing complaints regarding structural understaffing within the French air traffic control system have resurfaced. A recent incident in December 2022, where a near-collision occurred between an easyJet plane and a private jet at Bordeaux airport, underscored the gravity of the issue. Investigators found that only three controllers were present in the tower when six were required by duty roster.
The strike was initiated by UNSA-ICNA, France’s second-largest air traffic controllers’ union, and was supported by the USAC-CGT, the third-largest union. Reports indicate that approximately 270 controllers out of 1,400 participated in the strike.
O’Leary did not hold back in his criticism of France’s handling of air traffic, stating, “It is indefensible that today that I’m canceling flights from Ireland to Italy, from Germany to Spain, from Portugal to Poland.” He attributed a significant portion of Ryanair’s cancellations, specifically 360 out of 400, to the lack of protection for overflights, a safeguard he argued that the European Union should enforce.
O’Leary’s comments extended to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, whom he accused of neglecting the airline industry’s needs in favor of other political matters, saying, “Ursula von der Leyen, being the useless politician that she is, would rather sit in her office in Brussels, pontificating about Palestine or U.S. trade agreements or anything else.” He called for her resignation unless she can implement reforms in European air traffic control.
In light of the turmoil, the European Commission has remained relatively quiet in response to Ryanair’s accusations. However, transport spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen did address the situation, asserting that air traffic control issues are indeed “on the Commission’s radar.” Yet, she emphasized that under international and EU legislation, the management of air traffic control falls under the jurisdiction of individual member states.
“We fully acknowledge the legitimate right of strikes in member states, but it is an issue that is to be addressed more broadly,” Itkonen added, further underlining the complexity of the matter at hand.