Ryanair has called on the Irish and other European governments to intervene in ongoing strike action by some French air traffic controllers.
Ryanair says it expects to cancel up to 100 flights affecting about 18,000 passengers while another 500 flights - impacting 90,000 passengers - will face very long delays and cancellation of flights overflying French airspace.
The airline has complained that the French government used legislation to protect some French flights, but did not prevent delays and cancellations for passengers who simply overfly France.
Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said: "We’re fed up with these repeated flight disruptions and cancellations caused by tiny French ATC unions, and the French government policy of using minimum services to protect French flights for French citizens while disrupting thousands of flights overflying France for thousands of EU citizens who are not travelling to/from France."
He accused the EU Commission of standing idly by "while Europe’s single market for air travel is wrecked again and again by these tiny French ATC unions, and if the EU Commission won’t act to protect its citizens, then national governments must intervene".
French air traffic control union SNCTA said in a statement earlier this month that the actions by its members were over the effects of inflation and its demand for more staff members.
