https://sputnikglobe.com/20250705/head-of-ryanair-airline-calls-ursula-von-der-leyen-useless-politician-1122397151.html
Head of Ryanair Airline Calls Ursula Von Der Leyen ‘Useless Politician’
Head of Ryanair Airline Calls Ursula Von Der Leyen ‘Useless Politician’
Sputnik International
The chief executive officer of Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, has criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her inaction in what concerns the two-day air traffic controllers' strike in France.
2025-07-05T03:40+0000
2025-07-05T03:40+0000
2025-07-05T05:00+0000
economy
ryanair
france
ursula von der leyen
european commission
eu economy
air traffic
air traffic control
strikes
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Ryanair said on Thursday that it was forced to cancel 170 flights, disrupting over 30,000 passengers, due to the French unions’ strike on Thursday and Friday. Ryanair's chief executive officer Michael O'Leary told Politico on Friday that he had to cancel "400 flights and 70,000 passengers" and that "360, or 90 percent of those flights, would operate if the Commission protected the overflights as Spain, Italy and Greece do during air traffic control strikes." Several airlines have accused France of failing to protect airlines during the protest action, while O'Leary criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Almost 1,000 flights were canceled in France on Friday: half at Nice airport, 40 percent at Paris airports, and 30 percent at airports in Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Figari due to the air traffic controllers’ strike. On Thursday, 933 flights were cancelled. The plans of more than 500,000 people have been disrupted because of the strike in France, which involved 272 employees of the industry, Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot said on Friday. Tabarot said on Thursday that losses related to the strike for airlines, including the country's main carrier Air France, could amount to millions of euros. Last week, two French air traffic controllers' unions, USAC-CGT and UNSA-ICNA, representing over 30 percent of the industry's employees, called for protest action on July 3-4, demanding better working conditions, an end to structural staff shortages, failed technical projects and "toxic management." The strike came as the French were preparing to go on summer school holidays.
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eu economy, eu economic crisis, europe economy, ryanair chief comments, ursula von der leyen's economic policy
eu economy, eu economic crisis, europe economy, ryanair chief comments, ursula von der leyen's economic policy
Head of Ryanair Airline Calls Ursula Von Der Leyen ‘Useless Politician’
03:40 GMT 05.07.2025 (Updated: 05:00 GMT 05.07.2025) The chief executive officer of Ryanair, an Irish low-cost airline, has criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her inaction in what concerns the two-day air traffic controllers' strike in France.
Ryanair said on Thursday that it was forced to cancel 170 flights, disrupting over 30,000 passengers, due to the French unions’ strike on Thursday and Friday.
Ryanair's chief executive officer Michael O'Leary told Politico on Friday that he had to cancel "400 flights and 70,000 passengers" and that "360, or 90 percent of those flights, would operate if the Commission protected the overflights as Spain, Italy and Greece do during air traffic control strikes."
Several airlines have accused France of failing to protect airlines during the protest action, while O'Leary criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Almost 1,000 flights were canceled in France on Friday: half at Nice airport, 40 percent at Paris airports, and 30 percent at airports in Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Figari due to the air traffic controllers’ strike. On Thursday, 933 flights were cancelled.
"Ursula von der Leyen, being the useless politician that she is, would rather sit in her office in Brussels, pontificating about Palestine or US trade agreements or anything else. Anything but take any effective action to protect the flights of holidaymakers," O’Leary said.
The plans of more than 500,000 people have been disrupted because of the strike in France, which involved 272 employees of the industry, Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot said on Friday.
Tabarot said on Thursday that losses related to the strike for airlines, including the country's main carrier Air France, could amount to millions of euros.
Last week, two French air traffic controllers' unions, USAC-CGT and UNSA-ICNA, representing over 30 percent of the industry's employees, called for protest action on July 3-4, demanding better working conditions, an end to structural staff shortages, failed technical projects and "toxic management." The strike came as the French were preparing to go on summer school holidays.
