Ryanair Cancels 170 Flights Amid French Air Traffic Controllers’ Strike, Stranding Over 30,000 Passengers

Ryanair has been forced to cancel 170 flights, affecting more than 30,000 passengers, as a nationwide strike by French air traffic controllers disrupts travel across Europe at the start of the busy summer holiday season. The industrial action, scheduled for July 4 and 5, impacts not only flights to and from France but also those merely passing through French airspace, causing widespread delays and cancellations on routes between the UK, Greece, Spain, and Ireland.

The strike, organized by the UNSA-ICNA union, stems from concerns over understaffing, management issues, and a proposed clock-in system for controllers. France’s civil aviation authority (DGAC) has ordered airlines to cut flight schedules at major airports, including a 40% reduction at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Orly, and Beauvais on Friday. EasyJet has also cancelled 274 flights, and British Airways’ parent company is deploying larger aircraft to minimize disruption.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary sharply criticized the recurring strikes, calling them “unacceptable” and urging the European Commission to implement reforms that would guarantee minimum service levels and protect overflights during national disputes. Airlines and industry groups warn that such strikes significantly disrupt travel plans for hundreds of thousands of passengers and call for urgent EU intervention.

Key Points:

• Ryanair cancels 170 flights, stranding over 30,000 passengers due to a French air traffic controllers’ strike.
• Disruption affects flights to/from France and those crossing French airspace, impacting travel across Europe.
• French authorities ordered a 40% cut in flights at Paris airports; EasyJet and other carriers also hit by cancellations.
• Strike triggered by staffing and management disputes, with negotiations failing to resolve the conflict.
• Airline industry and Ryanair leadership demand EU action to prevent repeated disruption of European air travel.