Ryanair has condemned an 'illegal wildcat' strike by Belgian air traffic controllers that led to the cancellation of 100 flights on Tuesday, June 2, disrupting plans for nearly 20,000 passengers. The budget carrier said the strike at Charleroi and Zaventem airports occurred with zero notice, leaving airlines unable to reorganise schedules.
In a statement, Ryanair criticised the lack of warning, noting that airlines pay millions of euros annually for air traffic control services. The airline called for at least 24 hours' notice for any future strikes to allow carriers to protect passengers, many of whom were travelling with young families.
Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary said that while the airline respects the right to strike, it is unacceptable that airlines received no advance warning. He urged that if strikes must happen, fair notice should be given to minimise disruption for passengers who pay for high-priced but low-service ATC.
Separately, Ryanair warned of potential disruption on Wednesday, June 3, due to a general strike in Portugal. The airline said it plans to operate normally, but rival EasyJet has indicated possible delays. The Portuguese strike, the second in recent months, protests planned labour reforms and could affect around 500 flights across different airlines.
