Ryanair is forced to cancel nearly 100 flights at short notice due to ongoing strike action in France

Ryanair has been forced to cancel nearly 100 flights at short notice due to ongoing strike action in France.

The budget airline has been forced to slash almost 100 journeys as the country’s air traffic controllers are set to walk out again tomorrow – for the 84th day since 2023.

It is set to hit thousands of Brits looking forward to Summer holiday plans, as the company confirmed they have had to make cancellations, The Sun reports. 

These are set to hit people travelling to and from Paris’ Beauvais Airport.

And Ryanair has hit back at the feuding French, as they slammed the EU for failing to ‘take action’ against strikes.

The company has been campaigning to protect planes travelling through foreign countries during strikes.

‘It is inexplicable that Ursula von der Leyen and the EU Commission have failed to take action to protect EU passengers’ Freedom of Movement during these repeated French ATC strikes,’ a spokesperson told The Sun.

Ryanair has hit back at the feuding French, as they slammed the EU for failing to ‘take action’ against strikes. Pictured: Michael O’Leary, Chief Executive of Ryanair

‘As a result, we have been forced to cancel almost 100 flight to/from Paris Beauvais Airport tomorrow, Thurs 6 June, unfairly disrupting thousands of EU passengers’ travel plans at short notice.

They added that passengers are ‘sick and tired’ of suffering cancellations due to strikes, continuing: ‘There is no excuse for EU passengers to bear the burden of national ATC strikes that are completely unrelated to them and its time that and the EU Commission do something about it.’

Customers affected by cancelled flights will be contacted and can request a new flight or refund.

The airline currently flies to Paris Beauvais from Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Belfast. 

Paris Beauvais warned passengers: ‘Major disruptions are expected in the flight schedule. Please contact your airline for any information on the status of your flight.’  

Strikes in late April saw 2,000 flights being cancelled and another 1,000 forced to change routes to avoid French airspace.

Cancellation numbers were at their highest ‘in 20 years’, said Augustin de Romanet, CEO of ADP, the company operating the capital’s airports.

Air traffic association IATA accused the French controllers of ‘blackmail’ and of making exorbitant demands. 

Several airlines told customers they could change their reservations for free or get a refund for their tickets.

The unions’ demands are a response to a planned overhaul of French air-traffic control systems.

The strike calls followed an initial breakdown of talks, raising concerns over the risk of renewed action during the Olympic Games in Paris from late July, when millions of visitors are expected in the capital.