Relief for holidaymakers after air traffic controllers end strike

There is relief for the tens of thousands of holiday-makers due to travel to Europe over the next four days, after French air traffic controllers last night called off the remainder of their six-day strike.

Among the hundreds of Ryanair flights grounded due to the action on Tuesday and yesterday, were almost 60 flights into and out of Ireland.

As a result, thousands of passengers were left stranded, either before their holiday had even begun or in airports across France and Spain.

Up to 6pm yesterday Ryanair was warning that up to 6% of its 1,600 flights scheduled for today would be cancelled.

Only two flights, between Dublin and Carcassonne in France, were expected to be impacted.

However, at 6.30pm, the budget airline was able to put a statement on its website, which read: “We have been advised that the French ATC strike has been cancelled with effect from 24:00hrs Wednesday 25th Jun.

“All Ryanair scheduled flights on Thursday 26th will operate as normal. All booked customers should proceed to the departure airport as normal.”

While Aer Lingus did not cancel any flights over the last two days, its passengers did experience significant delays, particularly if they were due to fly into France or through French air space. In confirming that its members’ strike over cuts had been called off, the Unsa-ICNA trade union said the French government had recognised the “importance of investment in the sector”, according to news agency AFP.

The action has been timed ahead of a deadline on June 30 for France to present its five-year budget plans for aviation to Brussels.