Call for pan-European air traffic control system as hundreds grounded by strikes

Dublin Airport as air traffic control strikes in France cause flights to be cancelled. Picture: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos

There have been fresh calls for a pan-European air traffic control system after French strikes caused flight cancellations for hundreds of passengers flying into and out of Cork, Dublin, and Shannon airports yesterday.

Hundreds of flights across Europe were cancelled due to long-running industrial action by French air traffic controllers.

Calling for the unified flight control system, Ireland South MEP Billy Kelleher said: "These strikes have profound implications across Europe, with hard-pressed families who have no hand, act, or part in French air traffic control issues the ones who bear the brunt. 

"The fact that air traffic controllers in one country can wholly and disproportionately affect the entire continent cannot be acceptable any longer. 

The EU must act once and for all."

However, travel expert Eoghan Corry said holidaymakers should not hold out hopes for such a universal air traffic control system anytime soon.

"That would be the magic wand to wave to solve the issue, but it has been talked about for 20 years," he said. 

"There is no reason technically or from a safety point of view that it cannot be done. However, it means the 27 EU member states agreeing and the French in particular will not do so."

France saw some of the most militant May Day workers' protests in the world yesterday with violent scenes in Paris in particular. French workers and unions, including the air traffic controllers, are angry at president Emmanuel Macron’s move to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. 

In Paris, the trade union-led demonstration began peacefully with many families joining in, holding banners calling for social justice and demanding Macron resigns.

But on the edges of the march, police fired teargas and clashed with groups of young men dressed in black. Projectiles, bins, and petrol bombs were thrown at police. 

There were more than 290 arrests across France, including 53 in Paris, and more than 100 police officers injured. One officer was seriously injured by a petrol bomb and treated in hospital for burns.

Protesters throw items during a demonstration in Paris. Picture: Aurelien Morissard/AP

The ramifications of unrest in France could cause further woes for Irish holidaymakers throughout the summer if no breakthrough is found.

Hundreds of flights to the most popular holiday destinations pass through French airspace.

Most of the flights affected in Ireland by Monday's action were to and from French airports, including Paris, Bordeaux, and Carcassonne. However, other airports including Lanzarote were also hit.

This was the 51st such strike in recent months. Currently, France can use minimum service legislation to protect local French flights during air traffic controller strikes, but flights passing over French airspace have no such protection.

“This is completely unacceptable,” said Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary. "France is using minimum service legislation to protect its local French flights, but all the cancellations then are being disproportionately passed on to English flights, Irish flights, Italian flights, Spanish flights, German flights."

His airline recently launched a petition calling on Europe to protect overflights from being cancelled in French airspace. The petition has more than 644,000 signatures.

Concerns have also been raised about staffing shortages in Irish air traffic control, with some fears that shortages could disrupt travel this summer unless they are urgently addressed.

Dublin airspace closed briefly on multiple occasions this year due to air traffic controller staff shortages. There are currently 245 operational air traffic controllers — 26 fewer than one year ago, at a time of increasing air traffic.

“There is essentially a mismatch between the current staffing compliment and the growing demand on the air traffic control service,” said a spokesman for Fórsa union, which represents public service staff.

Fórsa will be meeting with management on May 10 specifically to look at a process for staffing, he said.