• Ryanair cancelled 170 flights due to a French air traffic control strike.
• The strike affects over 30,000 passengers at the start of the summer holidays.
• Significant air travel disruptions are noted across Europe, including delays and cancellations.

Ryanair announced on Thursday that it had to cancel 170 flights, disrupting travel plans for over 30,000 passengers, due to a two-day strike by French air traffic controllers. This industrial action coincides with the onset of Europe’s peak summer holiday season, greatly affecting travel across the continent, including UK, Ireland, Greece, and Spain, as flights over French airspace were also impacted, according to Reuters and BBC.

The French civil aviation authority (DGAC) mandated a 40% reduction in flight schedules for July 4, specifically targeting operations at major hubs like Paris Charles de Gaulle and Nice airports. The delays, compounded by ongoing staffing shortages reported by air traffic controllers' unions, exacerbated travel chaos during the already busy holiday season, as emphasized by India Times and The Local.

Ryanair's CEO, Michael O'Leary, criticized the air traffic control strikes as "unacceptable," highlighting the wider ramifications for families traveling across Europe. He called upon the European Commission to reform air traffic control services to ensure minimal disruption during strikes, a sentiment echoed by other industry leaders discussing the need for comprehensive reform, according to Le Monde and The Local.

With anticipated cancellations soaring, the DGAC's directives may lead to even more significant flight disruptions across France, particularly affecting Paris airport operations as the strike progressed, reflecting serious operational challenges faced by airlines during the summer travel peak. Major airlines such as EasyJet have also been notably impacted, with cancellations exceeding hundreds, revealing systemic issues in managing air traffic amidst workforce shortages and ongoing grievances, as reported by Reuters and The Local.