Discord erupted between Ryanair and easyJet over ongoing French air traffic strikes, with both airlines urgently appealing for EU intervention to resolve the ongoing disruptions.

Discord erupted between Ryanair and easyJet over ongoing French air traffic strikes, with both airlines urgently appealing for EU intervention to resolve the ongoing disruptions.

The skies over Europe were hit by a wave of disruption last week, as French air traffic control (ATC) staff went on strike. The strike, which took place on the 3rd and 4th of July 2025, was the result of several key grievances, including understaffing, outdated equipment, and pay concerns, as well as resistance to work monitoring reforms.

The walkout had a dramatic impact on European aviation, with more than 1 million passengers affected. Around 200,000 people were unable to fly as planned due to cancellations, while approximately 3,713 flights were delayed each day, and 1,422 flights were cancelled.

The disruption extended beyond France, affecting neighbouring countries such as Spain, the UK, and Italy. Arrival punctuality plunged, with some delayed flights experiencing over 2 hours of delay. Neighbouring countries experienced extensive air traffic flow management delays, accumulating to 354,000 minutes.

The strikes also had environmental consequences, with an estimated extra 18,000 tons of fuel burnt and over 60,000 tons of excess CO₂ emissions. Financial losses to the European aviation sector are estimated at around €120 million over the two strike days due to delays and cancellations combined.

The French Transport Minister, Philippe Tabarot, condemned the strike as unreasonable and unacceptable, particularly because it coincided with the start of the busy summer holiday season. The two largest low-cost airlines in Europe, EasyJet and Ryanair, also criticised the strikes, with Ryanair's communications director, Jade Kirwan, complaining that workers extended the strikes by taking extra days off over the weekend immediately after the announced strike days.

EasyJet was forced to cancel 660 flights due to the walkout, causing losses of €17.3 million. The strikes occurred during the region's school vacation period, and the target of the strike action in Belgium was the country's interim government, while the aviation sector bore the brunt of the impact.

Ryanair's boss, Michael O'Leary, called the strikes "unjustified" and "recreational," and he even went as far as to call for the resignation of EU head Ursula von der Leyen and action from EU lawmakers to prevent such widespread impact from strikes in the future. EasyJet's chief executive, Kenton Jarvis, accused striking workers of causing "unacceptable challenges" for customers and crew.

The French air traffic control staff's complaints include understaffing, outdated equipment, and toxic management practices. Jarvis has urged the French government to resolve the dispute over working conditions and implement long-term measures to prevent future strikes. The ongoing strike has highlighted the need for urgent action to modernise French air navigation provision and improve working conditions for air traffic controllers.

1. The French air traffic control (ATC) staff's grievances, including understaffing, outdated equipment, and toxic management practices, disrupted the holiday season for many, as their strikes resulted in over 1 million passengers being affected.
2. The financial impact of the strikes was significant, causing losses of €120 million to the European aviation sector over the two strike days due to delays and cancellations combined.
3. The Greek holidaymaker, planning a vacation to Spain, was one of the hundreds of thousands who were unable to fly as planned due to the ATC strike. Their budget-friendly lifestyle was disrupted, and they were left exploring alternative travel arrangements.
4. To prevent future strikes that may affect travelers' journeys and the aviation industry's lifestyle, EU lawmakers have been called upon by industry leaders like Ryanair's boss, Michael O'Leary, to take action and address the underlying issues, including poor working conditions.

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