Over 4,000 flights cancelled and 730,000 passengers impacted by French ATC strikes.
Ryanair and the fed-up passengers of Europe have called on the EU Commission yet again to take immediate action to protect European citizen’s Freedom of Movement and overflights during French ATC strikes following the 52nd day of French ATC strikes on Mon, 1 May.
Despite only launching just 6 weeks ago, over 700,000 passengers have signed Ryanair’s “Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open” petition calling on the EU Commission to take immediate action and protect European citizen’s Freedom of Movement and overflights during French ATC strikes. However, President von der Leyen has yet to acknowledge the multiple calls for action from the EU passengers who have suffered cancellations and delays due to repeated French ATC strikes, despite not even travelling to/from France. This is because France uses Minimum Service Legislation to protect French domestic flights while EU overflights from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK, and Ireland are disproportionately cancelled. Italy and Greece already protect overflights during ATC strikes and the EU Commission must now insist that France does likewise.
A Ryanair spokesperson said: “After 52 days of French ATC strikes in the first 4 months of 2023, forcing over 730,000 passengers to have their flights cancelled at short notice, President Ursula von der Leyen is still nowhere to be seen. She hasn’t even acknowledged the 700,000+ EU passengers who have signed our Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open petition because they are sick and tired of suffering unnecessary disruption to their travel plans when a tiny number of French ATC unions strike, and all because the EU Commission have repeatedly failed to protect their Freedom of Movement and overflights during French ATC strikes.
It is time for the EU Commission to protect overflights during French ATC strikes as Italy and Greece already do. If French ATC unions insist on striking (which is their right) then they should cancel French flights and protect overflights, not cancel EU overflights from Germany, Spain, Italy, the UK.
Ryanair is calling on EU passengers to help us reach 1 million signatures on our Protect Passengers: Keep EU Skies Open petition and demand President von der Leyen and the EU Commission take action to protect all flights for EU citizens once and for all.”
Ryanair and Repsol sign major sustainable fuel agreement
Also, Ryanair and global energy group, Repsol, signed yesterday a Memo of Understanding (MOU) to advance the supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Ryanair airports across Spain & Portugal further advancing the airline’s Pathway to Net Zero strategy.
While SAF is a key enabler of aviation decarbonisation, it only accounts for a small fraction of the current jet fuel usage worldwide. This agreement with Repsol gives Ryanair access to up to 155,000 tonnes (52m gallons) of SAF between 2025 and 2030 (equiv. to over 28,000 flights from Dublin to Madrid), saving approximately 490,000 tonnes in CO2 emissions.
Ryanair has set itself an ambitious goal of using 12.5% SAF by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050, and this agreement demonstrates both Ryanair and Repsol’s commitment to working together and investing in SAF supply fuels.
Valero Marin, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Client and Ryanair DAC’s CEO Eddie Wilson.
Speaking at Repsol’s Headquarters in Madrid, Ryanair DAC’s CEO Eddie Wilson, said: “SAF plays a key role in Ryanair’s Pathway to Net Zero strategy and our goal of using 12.5% SAF by 2030. Achieving this requires multiple different feedstocks and production methods and we’re encouraged that Repsol are looking at multiple solutions. This agreement helps Ryanair secure access to c.15% of this ambitious goal.
Repsol is a key sustainability partner for Ryanair, and we look forward to building on this collaboration as our Group grows to carry 225m passengers annually by FY26.”
Valero Marin, Repsol’s Executive Managing Director of Client, added: “This collaboration agreement with Ryanair, Europe’s leading passenger airline, reinforces our commitment to the aviation sector and it is another step in Repsol’s commitment to renewable fuels. The aviation sector needs solutions such as SAF fuels to support the decarbonization process it is currently undergoing. This also consolidates our position as a multi-energy company with the objective of achieving zero net emissions by 2050”.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
