Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, today (Tues, 8 July) issued an open letter to Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, calling on her to quit if she fails to take action to protect the single market for flights over Europe during national French ATC strikes.

Last week, the annual French ATC Summer “recreational” strikes started on Thursday and Friday, causing the cancellation of 1,500 flights, cancelling the travel plans of over 270,000 EU citizens and their families. 90% of these flight cancellations would have been avoided if overflights over France were protected during French ATC strikes. Despite repeated calls from the airline industry, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has refused to take any action to protect and defend the single market for air travel during French ATC strikes. Ryanair calls Ursula von der Leyen’s continuing failure indefensible and unacceptable.

Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, has written an open letter to Commission President von der Leyen calling on her to take immediate action to protect overflights during French ATC strikes or quit. Mr O’Leary criticised the Commission’s false claims that ATC is a “national competence” when protecting the single market for air travel is a Commission competence.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“It is unacceptable that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen continues to stand idly by, while the single market for air travel over Europe is repeatedly shut down by French Air Traffic Controllers. We do not allow our railways, our motorways, or our shipping lanes to be closed by industrial action, so it is unacceptable that the EU Commission President fails to defend the single market for air travel. During the Brexit negotiations, Commission President von der Leyen repeatedly stated that “protecting the single market is the most important duty of her Presidency of the European Commission”. If that is so, then she should take immediate action to protect overflights and the single market for air travel during French ATC strikes and stop failing on this issue.

Ursula von der Leyen must protect overflights during national ATC strikes or resign. If she won’t defend the single market for air travel, then she should quit and let somebody competent defend the single market on behalf of Europe’s airline passengers.”