Ryanair Cancels Over 170 Flights Amid French ATC Strikes, Disrupting Travel for 30,000+ Passengers

 DUBLIN — Low-cost carrier Ryanair announced the cancellation of more than 170 flights scheduled for Thursday and Friday, affecting the travel plans of over 30,000 passengers. The disruption comes in the wake of ongoing industrial action by French air traffic controllers, further straining European aviation at the onset of the summer holiday season.

The cancellations include not only flights to and from France but also numerous overflights traversing French airspace en route to destinations such as the United Kingdom, Greece, Spain, and Ireland. Passengers are advised to check the Ryanair website for real-time updates on flight status.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary issued a renewed appeal to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging immediate intervention to address what he described as “chronic deficiencies” in the EU’s air traffic control system.

“Once again, European families are being held hostage by French ATC strikes,” O’Leary stated. “It is unacceptable that overflights—flights not landing in or departing from France—are being delayed or cancelled due to industrial action that has nothing to do with them. This situation is grossly unfair to EU passengers and undermines the integrity of cross-border air travel within Europe.”

O’Leary reiterated Ryanair’s long-standing call for two key reforms: ensuring ATC services are fully staffed during early-morning peak departures and safeguarding overflights during national strikes. According to the airline, these changes would eliminate up to 90% of disruption caused by ATC-related issues.

In a separate update, Ryanair acknowledged that its operations had also been impacted by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The carrier cancelled more than 800 flights in June due to instability stemming from the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as continued unrest in Gaza. Several international airlines, including Ryanair, have rerouted or suspended flights through affected regions.

Despite these challenges, Ryanair reported strong operational performance in June, operating over 109,000 flights and carrying 19.9 million passengers—an increase of 3% compared to June 2023. The airline noted that less than 1% of scheduled flights were cancelled last month.

As one of Europe’s largest budget carriers, Ryanair continues to push for structural reforms within the European aviation framework, arguing that regulatory inaction has left passengers vulnerable to repeated, avoidable disruptions.