The outspoken CEO of Ryanair has called for EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to quit if she is not willing to force through reforms of air traffic control.
Speaking in the wake of ATC strikes in France that saw the cancellation of hundreds of flights during the week, Michael O’Leary expressed exasperation over what he perceived as the EU boss’ ‘lip service’ on the 2024 Draghi Report on ATC reform, which has not seen ‘one centimetre of progress’ to date.
The airline’s head repeated a call for two key reforms, namely to ensure that ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of morning flight departures and also to protect overflights during National ATC strikes.
READ: Supreme Court rejects Ryanair strike appeal
Michael O’Leary said: “Once again on Thursday and Friday of this week, over 400 Ryanair flights and more than 70,000 Ryanair passengers and their families will have their travel plans disrupted by a tiny number of French Air Traffic Controllers, engaging in recreational strikes. Over 350 of these are overflights, which could and should be protected by the EU Commission. The bizarre justification for this week’s ATC strike is their objection to “short staffing”. Every year they find something new to strike about. While we recognise their right to strike, Europe’s airlines have repeatedly called on the European Commission to protect overflights. It is unacceptable, that flights which overfly France, and which could operate without disruption, are needlessly cancelled, simply because the European Commission won’t protect overflights, or defend the single market. This is unacceptable”.
“Ursula von der Leyen and her new Commission claim they have put Europe’s competitiveness at the centre of their economic strategy. Even the Draghi Report last year identified the urgent need for ATC reform, which can be delivered by protecting overflights and ensuring that ATC services are properly staffed. Yet 12 months later, nothing has changed. Ursula von der Leyen hides in her office in Brussels, while thousands of European citizens and their families have their flights and their holidays needlessly disrupted”.
“If Ursula von der Leyen isn’t willing to deliver competitiveness, isn’t willing to protect the single market, isn’t willing to protect overflights during National ATC strikes, then she should quit and let somebody more effective deliver the urgent ATC reform and the competitiveness, which Europe’s economy and our airlines’ passengers so badly need. The Airline Industry is fed up with Ursula von der Leyen’s failure to deliver ATC reform. If she won’t reform – then she should go!”.
In spite of the headwinds caused by ATC issues, Ryanair reported that its load factor YTD remains at 95%, the same as the previous year.
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