easyJet and Ryanair call for end to air traffic control strikes
07.10.10
Budget airlines easyJet and Ryanair have called on European regulators to put legislation in place to prevent further strike action by air traffic controllers. easyJet said that the recent strikes in Europe will cost it around £6 million in passenger compensation, whilst Ryanair said strikes in Belgium, France and Spain have forced it to cancel 1400 flights and delay over 12,000 other flights, disrupting more than 2.5m passengers.
easyJet Chief executive Carolyn McCall said: ‘The significant disruption caused to millions of passengers across Europe demonstrates the urgent need for European governments and the European Commission to modernise Europe’s outdated system of air traffic control providers and to end the ongoing strike action.’
Ryanair has also called on the Commission to remove the ‘right to strike’ from air traffic controllers after its services were again hit by industrial action. It wants the EU to change legislation to stop essential air transport services, such as ATC, from striking and reform the EU261 passenger rights legislation.
It said it will take legal action again Belgocontrol following the wildcat strikes in Belgium last Tuesday, which caused the cancellation of over 90 Ryanair flights, disrupting over 15,000 passengers. It says the unannounced strike cost it €1 million.
Speaking in Brussels, Michael O’Leary said: ‘Striking ATC staff are the modern equivalent of highwaymen. They don’t care about passengers, they repeatedly strike because they know they can shut down Europe’s skies and hold EU Governments and passengers to ransom.'
‘It is ridiculous that Belgian, French and Spanish controllers can repeatedly strike without any financial penalty, while airlines suffer a ‘right to care’ to passengers and absorb the costs of these unnecessary disruptions.'
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