Following Ursula von “Derlayed-Again’s” survival of yesterday’s no-confidence vote, Ryanair and its passengers today (Fri, 11 July), called on the EU Commission President to use her “last chance” to finally take action to protect overflights during national ATC strikes, and demand that Europe’s ATCs are fully staffed for the first wave departures each day.

Almost 20% of EU flights overfly France, yet French minimum services do not protect overflights during French ATC strikes (as other EU States like Greece, Italy and Spain do). For two days last week (3&4 July), French ATC again engaged in their “recreational” strikes forcing the cancellation of 1,500 flights which cancelled the travel plans of over 270,000 EU citizens and their families. 90% of these cancellations would have been avoided if overflights over France were protected during French ATC strikes. 

The EU Commission constantly talk about efficiency and competitiveness, yet Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” continues to preside over repeated ATC strikes, which allows a tiny number of Air Traffic Controllers to close the EU skies. As EU Commission President, Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” has a duty to protect the single market for air travel and to keep the upper airspace over France open so that passengers, who are not travelling to/from France, can continue to fly to Spain, Italy, Germany, and the UK without having their flights needlessly disrupted by French ATC strikes that have nothing to do with them.

Ursula von “Derlayed-Again” must now take action to reform ATC and deliver on her promise of efficiency and competitiveness, or resign and let someone competent to do the job.

Ryanair’s CEO Michael O’Leary said:

“It is abysmal to think that despite two days of “recreational” French ATC strikes last week having cancelled 1,500 flights and the travel plans of 270,000 EU citizens – 90% of these cancellations would have been avoided, if overflights were protected by the EU Commission during these recreational French ATC strikes – EU Commission President von “Derlayed-Again” in 6  years has still taken zero action to protect overflights and defend Europe’s single market for air travel. What’s stopping French Air Traffic Controllers from closing the EU skies again next week or the week after with more of these unjustified recreational strikes?

Now that the Parliament has given her a second chance, we hope that President von “Derlayed-Again” takes action to deliver on her promise of efficiency & competitiveness by (1) protecting overflights during national ATC strikes and (2) demanding that ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of morning departures. These two simple reforms alone would eliminate 90% of Europe’s ATC delays/cancellations.”