Thousands of travelers across Europe are facing major disruptions as French air traffic controllers launched a nationwide strike on Thursday, prompting Ryanair to cancel 170 flights over two days and affecting more than 30,000 passengers.
The strike, led by France’s second-largest air traffic controllers’ union UNSA-ICNA and supported by USAC-CGT, began late Thursday and will continue through Friday, coinciding with the start of the busy European summer holiday season.
French civil aviation authority DGAC ordered airlines to slash their flight schedules, including at Paris Charles de Gaulle — one of the continent’s busiest airports.
“Once again, European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike,” Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said in a sharply worded statement. “It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays.”
O’Leary called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to urgently intervene and reform the continent’s fragmented and strike-prone air traffic control system.
The budget airline EasyJet also announced 274 flight cancellations for Thursday and Friday, while British Airways responded by deploying larger aircraft to mitigate the impact on passengers.
According to the DGAC, one in four flights to and from Paris were cancelled Thursday, with up to half of outbound flights axed for Friday. Other regions, especially in the south of France, were instructed to reduce flights by up to 50%.
The air traffic controllers’ unions say the strike stems from longstanding grievances over staffing shortages, antiquated equipment, and a toxic work culture. “The systems are on their last legs, and the agency keeps asking more of its staff to make up for its own failures,” UNSA-ICNA said in a statement.
The DGAC has yet to publicly respond to the unions’ accusations. Meanwhile, French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot condemned the strike as unacceptable, further escalating tensions between the government and aviation workers.
Luxembourg’s Luxair warned that delays and re-routings caused by the strike could lead to “knock-on effects” throughout European airspace.
Travelers are being urged to check their flight status and rebook where possible. The DGAC acknowledged that even with preventative cancellations, “disturbances and significant delays are to be expected at all French airports.”
The dispute underscores wider concerns in Europe and beyond over the state of air traffic management systems. Similar complaints about infrastructure and staffing have been raised by U.S. air traffic controllers, suggesting a global need for systemic reform.
As the summer travel rush intensifies, passengers are left bearing the brunt of industrial action — with no clear resolution in sight.
