
Scots Ryanair flights CANCELLED as air traffic control strikes spark summer holiday chaos
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
SCOTS holidaymakers are facing travel chaos as over 100 flights are axed amid an air traffic control strike.
French staff walking off the job has caused Ryanair to axe dozens of planes taking tourists abroad.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
5
Hundreds of flights have been axed 170 flights
Credit: Getty
5
The flights were cancelled over a French air traffic control strike (STOCK IMAGE)
Credit: Alamy
5
Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary blasted the disruption
Credit: Reuters
5
Planes leaving Edinburgh were impacted
Credit: Andrew Barr - The Sun Glasgow
The industrial action landed with the start of Europe's summer holidays, meaning airports and flights were set to be much busier, only adding to the chaos.
French ATC workers will be off the job today and tomorrow amid complaints about overworking, burnout and understaffing.
The country's officials had asked airlines to axe the number of flights in Paris airports by 40% to help them cope with the strike.
Several flights bound for France have been cancelled, including three from Edinburgh.
The planes were all set to take off this morning for Biarritz, Paris and Toulouse.
A total of 170 Ryanair flights have been axed, throwing the journeys of over 30,000 passengers into chaos.
But the chaos is also hammering punters who aren't even going to France.
The strike means planes cannot even fly over French airspace to get to their destinations.
This has seen flights to holiday hotspots like Greece and Spain all impacted.
The popular airline said: "In addition to flights to/from France being cancelled, this strike will also affect all French overflights."
'Give this man a raise' say Ryanair passengers as cabin crew play 90's hit while on route to a popular party island
Ryanair's CEO Michael O'Leary blasted the "abundantly unfair" strike for the chaos caused to passengers.
He said: 'Once again European families are held to ransom by French Air Traffic Controllers going on strike.
"It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike.
"It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays."
He added: "Ryanair calls on Ursula von der Leyen to take urgent action to reform EU ATC services by ensuring that ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of daily departures, and protecting overflights during national ATC strikes.
"These 2 splendid reforms would eliminate 90% of all ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable ATC disruptions due to yet another French ATC strike.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
UK seaside town gets £1.8million facelift for summer including new arcade
A popular UK holiday hotspot has been given a £1.8million facelift in time for the summer holidays and it's sure to be a hit with families wanting to make the most of the seaside There's nothing quite like a trip to the British seaside; the sandy beaches, the pretty promenades, the fish and chip shops. But this summer there'll be an extra boost for families heading to one popular hotspot. That's because Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, has been given a £1.8million facelift in the form of its Britannia Pier. The seaside icon has received a huge makeover complete with a new amusement arcade and facade, in a move that aims to be "returning it to its former glory". Originally built in 1858, the Victorian timber pier has undergone several transformations (including being rebuilt and destroyed by a fire) and was reconstructed in 1958. Now it's been restored to be "bright, shiny and back to its former heyday" in time for the summer holidays. There is a second phase of work expected to start later this year, including new food stalls and cabins, but this won't be until October when the peak summer season has passed. There's plenty on offer for holidaymakers whether they're planning to tuck into snacks from food stalls, have a go on the family-friendly fairground rides, or relax at one of the bars to be found in the area. You can find out more about exactly what's on offer this summer on Then of course when you've had enough fun at the pier, the town offers miles of golden sands and swim-friendly waters that rival European hotspots, as well as a bustling promenade lined with restaurants, bars and shops. It's not the only exciting development in the popular seaside resort. Just recently, SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth opened its doors to a brand new £1million aquarium display, complete with over 30 marine species including blacktip reef sharks, moray eels, tangs, and angelfish. Still, the biggest highlight though has to be the 250,000-litre Ocean Tank and Tunnel where you can walk right under the fish and sea creatures, or keep an eye out for the impressive shipwreck habitat in the waters! In fact, this was inspired by HMS Gloucester, a royal warship which sank off the Norfolk coast in 1682. The shipwreck itself was discovered by two divers in 2007, but it wasn't until 2021 that the full public reveal was announced. For those who like to get up close to the sea creatures, the new aquarium will also feature specially created immersive viewing windows from which you can look out for the various marine life. Being such a popular destination in the summer months, it's worth noting that Great Yarmouth can get quite busy. Still, for those who are visiting there will be a series of fun events on across the holidays. Highlights include a Wheels Festival across June 21-22, the annual free fireworks on the Golden Mile on Wednesdays from July 23 to August 27, and fireworks displays every Tuesday near Hemsby Beach from July 23. You can find out more at


Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Major Scots airport slammed for being ‘filthy' and damaging country's reputation
The boss of a Scottish Government agency slammed the state of the terminal RUN AWAY Major Scots airport slammed for being 'filthy' and damaging country's reputation Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTLAND'S busiest airport is so 'filthy' it risks damaging the country's reputation overseas, a top quango boss claims. Scottish Funding Council chief Francesca Osowska blasted the state of the terminal and public loos and hit out at the time it took for her luggage to be unloaded from a flight from Portugal. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Edinburgh Airport is the country's busiest, supporting 30,000 jobs and contributing £1.4bn to the economy 2 More than 50,000 people pass through the terminal every day during the summer holidays Her agency divvies out public cash for educational institutions and has been heavily involved in bailing out stricken Dundee University — with a rescue package which could eventually top £62million. Ms Osowska also took aim at the jet hub's 'where Scotland meets the world' slogan in an online rant. She said: 'Another top class performance by Edinburgh Airport. 'Arrivals hall is filthy, toilets dirty and despite the Porto flight arriving before the Dubai flight, guess which bags were delivered first? 'Another one-hour-plus wait for bags. 'What must the world think?' Edinburgh Airport is used by more than 12 million passengers every year, with routes to 150 destinations served by 34 airlines. It helps bring in £1.4bn to the nation's economy and supports nearly 30,000 jobs. During peak times, including school holidays, more than 60,000 people move through the terminal every day. French firm Vinci — which operates London Gatwick — took over the airport last year in a £1.3bn deal and has vowed to increase connections, make it more green and improve the flying experience for customers. Drunk offshore worker causes carnage on Scotland-bound easyJet flight after partner dumps him Cambridge University economics graduate Ms Osowska landed the role of chief executive with the Scottish Funding Council in January, with job listings offering a salary of up to £148,000. An Edinburgh Airport spokesman said: 'Constructive feedback is important. 'We survey more than 50,000 of our passengers every month, and those scores are overwhelmingly positive. 'But, as with any business or organisation — including ones in the public sector like the Scottish Funding Council — we know we won't always get it right. 'The complex nature and range of partners involved in airport operations are often misunderstood. 'While it's easy to share personal frustrations in 240 characters, it's not as easy to explain those intricacies. 'We're happy to engage constructively and offer clarity wherever we can.' Ms Osowska, from Cumbria, has held a number of senior public sector roles, including leading environment agency Naturescot and serving as principle private secretary to late First Minister Alex Salmond between 2007 and 2009. Holidaymakers travelling through Edinburgh Airport were left searching for bags due to a string of issues three years ago. Hundreds of missing items were held in storage at the terminal, with some waiting weeks for their cases to be returned. Baggage handling and other ground services are handled by contractors who work directly with airlines.


Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Tens of thousands of passengers face another day of travel hell amid French air traffic control strikes... as chaos hits Eurostar and UK airports
Thousands of British holidaymakers have had their travel plans disrupted after nearly 200 flights were cancelled due to striking workers in France. Budget airline Ryanair slashed more than 160 flights because of French air traffic control strikes, affecting over 30,000 passengers. Cancellations that took place across today which will continue on into tomorrow impact flights to and from France, but will also affect planes flying over the country. On Thursday, chaos also erupted on the Eurostar as travellers flooded social media with complaints they had been left stranded at terminals with delays of up to four hours. All trains from London St Pancras to Paris were cancelled die to a fire on the track. But the railway company came under fire from furious holidaymakers as they claimed Eurostar had entered a social media blackout, after not responding to their queries. 'Stuck on a hot, cramped 13.31 train from St Pancras to GDN. Absolute s***. Awful comms from Eurostar. Stuck at Haute Picardie, a station with nothing around. Unable to get off the train. We were meant to arrive 3 hours ago,' wrote one angry passenger. 'Can we please get some proper information at Gare du Nord? Your live departures online and departure boards here are showing wildly different information and there is nothing forthcoming here at all. Wildly over-crowded and over-heated and no info at all,' said another. Passengers carry their luggage at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle Airport in Paris today One more added: 'Still NO information from anybody at @EurostarUK. Train now 90 mins late and all communications out of date. Customer service must have gone home and left all their customers in the lurch'. On Thursday Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary renewed calls on EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, to take 'urgent action' to reform European Union air traffic control (ATC) services in light of the disruption. Mr O'Leary said: 'Once again, European families are held to ransom by French air traffic controllers going on strike. 'It is not acceptable that overflights over French airspace en route to their destination are being cancelled/delayed as a result of yet another French ATC strike. 'It makes no sense and is abundantly unfair on EU passengers and families going on holidays'. What to do if your flight is cancelled Travel experts said delayed passengers should check their insurance policy to see if it covers them for such events – although they are unlikely to be able to claim compensation from the airline. Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert, told MailOnline: 'If you are due to fly in this region over the next couple days, the best thing to do is to keep up to date with your airline, as they'll issue any announcements of delays or cancellations. 'And even if your flight looks unaffected, it's always best to still leave plenty of time to get to the airport in case of any delays or queues. 'As these strikes are from airport staff, it's unlikely you will be able to claim compensation for any delays or cancellations as a result. But if your travel insurance policy covers you for such events, then you may be able to reclaim any costs this way. 'Check your travel insurance policy to see if it covers strike-related delays or cancellations, especially if the strikes were announced before you bought your ticket.' Some 15 Ryanair flights arriving at or departing from London Stansted Airport were cancelled earlier today while others have been axed at Manchester and Edinburgh. Hundreds of flights operated by other airlines have been cancelled in France today, with the strike by two French unions also affecting air traffic across western Europe. In France, half of all flights in Nice and a quarter of flights at Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle airports, one of Europe's busiest hubs, have been cancelled. Tomorrow, the situation is expected to become even more tense at Paris airports and Beauvais, where the DGAC has ordered a 40 per cent reduction in the number of flights. Easyjet said it would cancel 274 flights today and tomorrow, while Air France adapted its flight schedule and British Airways was using larger aircraft to mitigate disruption. Lufthansa reduced its schedule for the two days, affecting some flights in and out of Nice, Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Montpellier airports – while Luxair warned that 'additional delays and schedule changes are possible across other destinations'. Disruption is expected to worsen tomorrow on the eve of the start of the European summer holidays, which is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. French air traffic controllers launched the two-day strike today to protest understaffing and 'toxic management'. One passenger, Nadia Rivet, a 51-year-old bank employee, told AFP: 'We're trying to stay positive, there are worse things, but it's annoying.' She was planning to spend six days in the French capital but her flight from the south-western city of Pau was cancelled this morning. 'Everyone has the right to strike, but it's punitive. Air traffic controllers aren't the worst off,' Ms Rivet said, adding she hoped to have more luck tomorrow. Other passengers tried to take the disruptions on the chin. 'Striking is a right,' said Carol Jelic, a 66-year-old Canadian travelling to Stuttgart told AFP at Paris CDG. 'We can't lose that right. But it does inconvenience.' Eric Nouen, a 60-year-old travelling to Montpellier from French Guiana, a region of France in South America, said he was not going to complain. 'Right now, everyone could go on strike. Everyone has a reason right now.' Ryanair has long-campaigned for an overhaul of ATC services across Europe. It wants the EU to ensure ATC services are fully staffed for the first wave of daily departures, as well as to protect overflights during national ATC strikes. 'These two splendid reforms would eliminate 90 per cent of all ATC delays and cancellations, and protect EU passengers from these repeated and avoidable ATC disruptions due to yet another French ATC strike,' Mr O'Leary added. Also today, easyJet said it had made 124 cancellations in advance for today and are making 150 cancellations in advance of tomorrow, across its European flight programme. This is out of 1,857 flights planned to operate today. An easyJet spokesman told MailOnline: 'The national strike action by French air traffic controllers today is impacting all airlines operating to and from French airports and using French airspace. 'As required by the French authorities (DGAC) easyJet proactively cancelled some flights in advance and customers were contacted directly with options to transfer to another flight for free or a refund. 'As this action could result in further disruption to airline's flying programmes, we advise all customers travelling on July 3 or 4 to check the status of their flights on our Flight Tracker online for the most up to date information. While this is outside of our control, we will do all we can to minimise the impact of the strike action. 'On behalf of our passengers we are extremely unhappy with the strike action, particularly given the current performance of French ATC which has been the leading cause of airspace delays in Europe this summer. 'Long term solutions must be found for our customers and crew who suffer repeated disruption.' And a British Airways spokesman said: 'Like all airlines, due to industrial action by French Air Traffic Control, we've had to make some adjustments to our schedule. 'This is outside of our control, and we've apologised to our customers for the disruption to their travel plans. Our teams are working to get our customers to their destinations as quickly as possible.' France's second-largest air traffic controllers' union, UNSA-ICNA, launched the action to demand better working conditions and more staff. The union is protesting 'chronic understaffing', the planned introduction of a clock-in system, outdated equipment and 'toxic management practices that are incompatible with the requirements of calm and safety'. 'The DGAC is failing to modernise the tools that are essential to air traffic controllers, even though it continues to promise that all necessary resources are being made available,' UNSA-ICNA said in a statement. 'The systems are on their last legs, and the [air traffic control] agency is constantly asking more of its staff to compensate for its difficulties.' It was joined by the third largest union, USAC-CGT, which said the DGAC had failed to comprehend the frustration felt by controllers. The DGAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the trade unions' concerns. Their complaints echo grievances expressed by air traffic controllers in the US over outdated infrastructure, dramatic staffing shortfalls and failing technology. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot called union demands 'unacceptable' and said carriers would lose 'millions of euros' as a result. 'Constantly choosing dates that will cause the most inconvenience to passengers does not seem to be the right approach,' he said today. The main air traffic controllers' union, SNCTA, had no plans to join the strike.