European LCCs Expect Disruptions Amid French ATC Strike

‍PARIS — Once again, France’s air traffic controllers are set to go on strike from October 7 to 10, with Ryanair (FR) and easyJet (U2) warning of mass disruption across Europe. 

The industrial action, organized by the SNCTA union, has raised concerns of widespread cancellations and delays that could affect hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Why Are Controllers Striking?

The SNCTA union has called the strike over pay conditions and management practices. Union leaders have accused French air navigation bosses of “mistrust, punitive practices, and harsh managerial methods.” 

Strikes by French controllers are not unusual, but their impact is disproportionately large because France’s airspace handles one of the highest volumes of overflights in Europe.

Expected Impact

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary warned that as many as 600 FR flights per day could be cancelled, impacting over 100,000 passengers. U2 said it too expects significant disruption and called for European regulators to prevent knock-on effects on flights merely passing through French airspace. 

Previous strikes, including one in July 2025 led by other unions, resulted in approximately 3,000 cancelled flights, costing the industry £104 million and causing widespread delays averaging 40 minutes across thousands of flights (Eurocontrol).

Airlines’ Response

• Ryanair has criticized EU rules that allow France to close airspace to overflying traffic during strikes, urging Brussels to mandate that overflights be protected even if domestic services are cancelled.
• easyJet called on French aviation authorities to “urgently build more resilience” in the system, warning that repeated strikes create uncertainty for millions of travelers and business continuity across Europe.

Passengers’ Advice

Both airlines have advised customers to regularly check their flight status online and expect possible last-minute changes. 

Refunds or rebooking options will be offered to affected passengers, but carriers stressed that many cancellations may not be confirmed until hours before takeoff, depending on staffing levels.

Wider Context

France has seen several air traffic control strikes over the past decade, and Eurocontrol has repeatedly warned that such actions have a cascading effect on aviation across the continent. 

With European skies highly interlinked, a strike in France disrupts not only flights to or from the country but also those crossing its airspace, making this one of the most disruptive forms of industrial action in Europe’s aviation sector.

Sources: Eurocontrol, The Standard, Reuters, BBC News.