Ryanair launched a petition with its passengers on Monday, asking them to support their appeals to the European authorities to protect overflights of French territory, affected by strikes by air traffic controllers against pension reform.
The Irish company calls on its customers “to sign its petition ‘protect passengers – keep the EU skies open’ and to join its appeal to the European Commission”, according to a press release, in which it accuses to the institution directed by Ursula von der Leyen “of inaction”. The low-cost airline, Europe’s largest in number of passengers carried, says a strike by French air traffic controllers has delayed or canceled the flights of more than a million passengers since the start of the year.
“Most of the affected passengers do not fly to/from France, but fly over French airspace en route to their destination,” says the company, which believes that French law provides more protection for flights to or from airports in France. . The air authorities have been asking airlines to reduce traffic in France on an almost daily basis for several weeks due to the air traffic controllers’ strike against the pension reform bill.
20% of canceled flights in Orly and Marseille-Provence on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) thus ordered the airlines on Monday to cut 20% of their flights on Tuesday and Wednesday in Paris-Orly and Marseille-Provence (southeast), two airports especially affected. Ryanair says it wants to present its petition, launched online, to the European Commission when it has been signed by 1 million people: around 11:30 GMT on Monday, it was approaching 1,000 signatories. The company regularly targets French air traffic control (ATC).
The geography means that many Ryanair routes between the British Isles and southern Europe must pass through French airspace. In January, Ryanair had already suggested to the European Commission to resort to the minimum service, impose an arbitration phase on the unions before the strike or even “authorize the other European ATCs to manage flights over France” during the social movements.
Source: BFM TV
