Ryanair is to take legal action against the unions responsible for the flash strikes in Spain at the start of December.
The strikes, which happened over a weekend and meant the low-cost carrier had to cancel more than 500 flights, caused chaos as passengers were forced to sleep on airport floors or head home after learning their holiday was cancelled.
The airline is now also calling for the EU Commission to remove the right to strike from “essential services” such as air traffic control (ATC) and to reform passenger rights legislation.
The carrier says that this year it has had to cancel 2,500 flights and delay 13,000 more because of Belgian, French and Spanish ATC strikes and work to rule actions.
Ryanair head of communications Stephen McNamara said:“How many more times will Europe’s airlines and their passengers be disrupted by unnecessary airspace closures, strikes and work to rules before the EU Commission finally takes some action?
“Striking ATC staff are the modern equivalent of highwaymen. They 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.”
“It is unacceptable that Spanish air traffic controllers, some of whom earn almost €1 million per year, continue to engage in strikes, go slows and work to rules, causing delays and misery for millions of European passengers without any financial ramifications.
“Ryanair will now take legal action against those responsible for the wildcat air traffic control strikes which caused the cancelation of 500 Ryanair flights on the 3rd and 4th of December.”
by Dinah Hatch
