Ryanair to take legal action against Spanish unions over wildcat strikes

Ryanair is to take legal action against a number of Spanish unions over wildcat strikes of air traffic controllers (ATCs) earlier this month which caused the cancellation of over 500 Ryanair flights.

The airline said the AENA, AESA and the USCA unions were responsible for the “unlawful” stoppages on December 4 and 5 which disrupted the travel plans of over 75,000 passengers.

The walk-offs followed similar ATC strikes in Belgium and France as well as Spain.

Ryanair reiterated its call for EU Commission to remove the “right to strike” from essential services such as ATC and to reform the EU261 passenger rights legislation. It also said ATC staff who participate in illegal strikes should be sacked.

“So far in 2010, Ryanair has been forced to cancel 2,500 flights and delay over 13,000 flights, disrupting over 2.5m passengers, as a direct result of Belgian, French and Spanish ATC strikes and work to rules,” the airline said in a statement.

“Under EU261 regulations airlines suffer the costs of these disruptions without any recourse against those unions calling strikes or the EU Govts who own the ATCs and repeatedly allow European airspace to be closed.”

“Striking ATC staff are the modern equivalent of highwaymen,” Ryanair’s Stephen McNamara said.

“ 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 €1m 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.”