Ryanair cancels 300 flights in Europe as French air traffic controllers go on strike

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ryanair has cancelled more than 300 flights scheduled for Thursday due to a strike by French air traffic control workers, the airline said. Ryanair called on the European Union to reform its skies by providing legal protection to overflights during air traffic control strikes and allowing other European controllers to manage flights in the French airspace. “French air traffic controllers are free to go on strike, that’s their right, but we should be cancelling French flights, not flights leaving Ireland, going to Italy, or flights from Germany to Spain or Scandinavia to Portugal,” Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary said in a statement on Wednesday. “We’re again calling on her to take action to protect overflights which will eliminate over 90 per cent of these flight cancellations.” Several airlines were forced to cancel flights despite the SNCTA, the largest of France's air traffic controllers union, calling off the 25 April strike after reaching a deal with management over working conditions.