Ryanair axes 170 flights as France air traffic control strikes spark holiday chaos

Ryanair has axed 170 flights after air traffic controllers walked off the job during strikes that could start summer holiday travel chaos.

More than 30,000 passengers are set to have travel disruptions after the airline said it was forced to cancel 170 flights. This travel disruption has come after a nationwide air traffic controller strike in France that started today. In a statement, the airline said: "In addition to flights to/from France being canceled, this strike will also affect all French overflights."

France's air traffic control union announced its workers would go on strike on July 3 and 4 due to concerns like understaffing, burnout and employees being overworked.

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The French civil aviation agency DGAC asked several airlines yesterday to reduce the number of flights at airports in Paris by 40% during the industrial action.

Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary called for the president of the European Commission to change the EU's air traffic controllers' services. He said: "Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike.

"It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike. It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays."

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