Ryanair’s chief executive has warned that 100,000 passengers may see their flights cancelled next week due to strikes planned by air traffic control unions.
Michael O’Leary told Sky News that the industrial action would cost the airline around €23 million. While Ryanair could absorb the hit, he stressed that travellers would ultimately suffer the consequences of the strikes.
Air traffic controllers are set to walk out from 7 October until the morning of 10 October, protesting against pay and working conditions.
The disruption will heavily impact flights in France, but other destinations will also be affected, as planes relying on French airspace to reach their routes will face cancellations. Travel to Spain, Italy and Greece is expected to be hit particularly hard.
“That’s about 100,000 passengers who will have their flights cancelled needlessly next Wednesday and Thursday,” O’Leary said. “On any given day we operate around 3,500 flights, 900 of which cross French airspace and roughly 600 are cancelled every day there’s an air traffic control strike,” he explained.
