Irish carrier Ryanair reached a new milestone in its newly created online petition to keep skies in the European Union open amidst repeated strikes of air traffic control workers in France. On Friday, the airline received over half of a million signatures on its petition.
Ryanair said the petition has been gaining popularity as several citizens in the EU want to demand action from the EU Commission to protect their flights. The move comes as airlines prepare for the busy summer travel season.
Plenty of support
The airline confirmed on Friday that over 600,000 passengers have signed its “Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open” online petition, which calls on EU Commission leaders to address the people of Europe’s Freedom of Movement right. A spokesperson for Ryanair commented on the support it has received.
Photo: Ryanair
“We are overwhelmed by the support for our Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open petition with over 600,000 signatures already from passengers calling on EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to take immediate action to protect their Freedom of Movement and overflights by keeping EU skies open during repeated French ATC strikes.”
French ATC strikes
This year, Ryanair has canceled nearly 4,000 flights scheduled to fly over France due to strikes among the French ATC. According to the airline, there have been over 50 days of French ATC strikes, which is 10 times more than last year. The cancellations have impacted the flights of over 620,000 passengers.
The airline said French flights are unaffected by the strikes because the country has the minimum service law. According to Workers Liberty, the law obliges French transport workers to establish an “individual declaration of intent,” or DII, 48 hours before a strike. But flights from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland flying over France have been canceled disproportionately.
“It is unacceptable that France uses Min Service Legislation to protect French flights during these repeated ATC strikes, while overflights, none of which are operating to/from France, suffer all these cancellations,” Ryanair said in its petition. “This is unfair. The EU must act now to protect overflights and the EU Single Market.”
Reaching 1 million
Ryanair launched the petition five weeks ago. When it reaches 1 million signatures, the airline will submit it to the EU Commission, demanding it takes action.
“We are rapidly approaching the 1 million signatures we need to force the EU Commission to take action to protect overflights and EU citizens’ Freedom of Movement,” the spokesperson said. “French ATC strikes are the No.1 risk to EU citizens’ travel plans this Summer and passengers are really starting to understand that the EU Commission is doing nothing to mitigate that risk and protect their Freedom of Movement. EU citizens are now signing our petition to demand action from the EU Commission to protect them and their family’s travel plans this Summer.”
Photo: kamilpetran I Shutterstock
The news comes as the airline recently indicated that it would reduce flights this summer. The reductions, however, are not a result of the French ATC strikes but due to delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing.
According to Reuters, Ryanair executives said last week that some high-frequency routes would be trimmed in July and August. Despite the projected reductions, the executives remained confident that the carrier would reach its annual target of 185 million passengers.
Sources: Workers Liberty, Reuters