Ryanair cancels services due to ATC strikes

Ryanair cancelled 60 services ahead of a 24-hour strike by Portuguese air-traffic controllers which will close all Portuguese airspace on 24-Nov-2010 (The Post, 22-Nov-2010). The cancellations affect those wishing to travel on Cork-Faro and Dublin-Faro return services on the day. The company said it has been forced to cancel approximately 2000 services and delay more than 12,000 more so far in 2010 because of ATC strikes in Europe. The carrier also called for the EU Commission to remove the right to strike from essential services such as Europe's air traffic control.

Ryaniar: "We once again call on the EU to remove the 'right to strike' for ATC as it is for other essential services like the police and fire services. Striking ATC controllers don't care about consumers, they don't care about passengers and they repeatedly strike because they know they can shut down Europe's skies and hold EU Governments and passengers to ransom. The EU Commission must act now to end this ATC chaos." Spokesman, Stephen McNamara. Source Business and Leadership, 22-Nov-2010.